axis of resistance

proper noun

An Iranian-led, anti-American, anti-Zionist, Shiite Islamist coalition in the Middle East whose significant participants include the IRGC, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.

Meanings

axis of resistance1

proper nounthe axis of resistance

alternative Axis of Resistance

  1. geopoliticsAn Iranian-led, anti-American, anti-Zionist, Shiite Islamist coalition in the Middle East whose significant participants include the IRGC, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.

    Oddly, the Islamic Republic claims that Israel “lost five wars with the Axis of Resistance since the July 2006 war with the Lebanese resistance.”

    2021 August 7, Seth J. Frantzman, “Iran claims Israel afraid of conflict with its 'axis of resistance'”, in the Jerusalem Post
    3 more examples

    The news agency said Assad and Jalili discussed their two countries' "strategic cooperation relationship" and "attempts by some Western countries and their allies to strike at the axis of resistance by targeting Syria and supporting terrorism there."

    2012 August 7, “Iran: We're in "axis of resistance" with Syria”, in CBS

    Iran’s axis of resistance consists of a network of political parties and armed groups that span Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen.

    2022 July 14, Nancy Ezzeddine, Hamidreza Azizi, “Iran's Increasingly Decentralzed Axis of Resistance”, in War on the Rocks

    The Houthis have fought and largely won a nine-year civil war against Yemen’s government — which is supported by Riyadh. They are thought to be one of the members of the axis of resistance most closely controlled by Iran.

    2024 January 14, Jason Burke, “Iran’s ‘axis of resistance’ is a potent coalition but a risky strategy”, in the Guardian

Axis of Resistance2

proper noun
  1. Alternative letter-case form of axis of resistance.

Origin

  1. Arabicمِحْوَرُ المُقَاوَمَة
  2. Englishaxis of resistance

Calque of Arabic مِحْوَرُ المُقَاوَمَة (miḥwaru l-muqāwama). First used in 2002 in Libya in response to George W. Bush's axis of evil.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

axis of resistance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/axis%20of%20resistance

MLA

“axis of resistance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/axis%20of%20resistance. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “axis of resistance,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/axis%20of%20resistance.

Source: axis of resistance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.