militarist

plural militarists

1. One who advocates military force to an ardent degree and (usually also) advocates the militarization of society.

   Near-synonym: jingoist

   1 more example

   It is widely agreed that rule by intransigent militarists led the Empire of Japan to ruin.

   Synonyms: bellicist, hawk, warmonger, warnik, jingoist · Antonyms: pacifist, conscientious objector

2. uncommonOne who believes in the use of military force (at all).

   Antonyms: pacifist, conscientious objector

comparative more militarist · superlative most militarist

1. Synonym of militaristic.

   Soviet authorities said some books were banned because they did not "serve the purpose of detente and mutual understanding," others because they were "militarist and racist literature and pornography."

   1979 September 5, Kevin Klose, “U.S. Publishers Threaten Boycott of Future Moscow Book Fairs”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 27 Aug 2017

   2 more examples

   The common efforts of the United Nations in rescuing China and Japan from the grasp of imperialist and militarist power must not be nullified by acquiescence in new imperialist conquest by more subtle devices than outright war.

   1949 November 29, Thomas J. Hamilton, quoting Philip C[aryl] Jessup, “U. S. Plan on China Bids Nations Honor Her Independence […]”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 Jul 2025

   Perot’s invocation of such solutions is integral to his ideological outlook, which is militarist-corporativist, reminiscent of 1930s Italian fascism. […] Perot’s ties to right-wing, militarist populism may be more complex and troubling than is now supposed.

   1992 May 25, Alexander Cockburn, “Column Left; Alexander Cockburn: [Ross] Perot’s Plan Is There for Us to Find […]”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 Dec 2022

   Synonyms: militaristic