Standard Lemma guide

militate

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈmɪlɪteɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M IH1 L IH0 T EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To give force or effect toward; to influence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • to militate in favor of a particular result
  • to militate against the possibility of his election

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mitigate

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To serve as a soldier or participate in warfare.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

have force or influence; bring about an effect or change

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Politeness militated against this opinion being expressed

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: influence, act upon, work

History

Etymology

First attested in 1598; borrowed from Latin mīlitātus, perfect passive participle from mīlitō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Semantically from its cognate, French militer.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: преча (preča) — to influence
  • Bulgarian: препятствам (prepjatstvam) — to influence
  • Czech: působit — to influence
  • Czech: bojovat — to influence
  • French: militer — to influence
  • Greek: στρατεύομαι (stratévomai) — to influence
  • Greek: αντιστρατεύομαι (antistratévomai) — to influence
  • Russian: спосо́бствовать (sposóbstvovatʹ) — to influence
  • Russian: препя́тствовать (prepjátstvovatʹ) — to influence
  • Russian: быть поме́хой (bytʹ poméxoj) — to influence
  • Russian: меша́ть (mešátʹ) — to influence