MILITATE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does militate mean? 

• MILITATE (verb)
  The verb MILITATE has 1 sense:

1. have force or influence; bring about an effect or change

  Familiarity information: MILITATE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MILITATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they militate    ... he / she / it militates   
Past simple: militated   
Past participle: militated   
-ing form: militating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Have force or influence; bring about an effect or change

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

Politeness militated against this opinion being expressed

Hypernyms (to "militate" is one way to...):

act upon; influence; work (have and exert influence or effect)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

As he saw that the very excess of his emotion was militating against him, by restoring us more to our old relations, he became still more demonstrative.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

But it was a matter of great consolation to her, that what brought evil to herself would bring good to her sister; and Elinor, on the other hand, suspecting that it would not be in her power to avoid Edward entirely, comforted herself by thinking, that though their longer stay would therefore militate against her own happiness, it would be better for Marianne than an immediate return into Devonshire.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

I told him he might have a dozen if he wished, but that it would not be wise to have more than one solicitor engaged in one transaction, as only one could act at a time, and that to change would be certain to militate against his interest.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

She speedily comprehended all his merits; the persuasion of his regard for Elinor perhaps assisted her penetration; but she really felt assured of his worth: and even that quietness of manner, which militated against all her established ideas of what a young man's address ought to be, was no longer uninteresting when she knew his heart to be warm and his temper affectionate.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)