MilitateTo have an effect that helps or harms a result or outcome. is a formalUsed in serious or official speech, not casual conversation. verb that means to work against something or to have an effect that pushes a situation in a particular direction. It often appears in phrasesSmall groups of words that belong together and form a unit. like militate against.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈmɪlɪˌteɪt/
Easy pronunciation: MIL-i-tate (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
This is the verb meaning to have an effect, often used in militate against.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Militate Meaning
to affect a situation, often by working against it
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to have force or influence; to work against something or help bring about a result
Example: His lack of experience militated against his chances of getting the job.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes think militate means “fight” because it looks like military, but it does not.
- It is often used with against, as in militate against something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does militate mean?
Militate means to have an effect on something, especially to work against it or make something less likely.
How do you use militate in a sentence?
It is often used in the phrase militate against, such as: The delay militated against success.
Is militate the same as military?
No. Militate is a verb meaning to influence a result, usually by working against it. It is not related in meaning to military.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-14. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.