Meaning & use
terrorism
Last updated
UK/ˈterərɪzəm/
US/ˈterərɪzəm/
Meaning
noununcountable
The use of violence or threats against civilians for political or ideological goals.
Grammar: Uncountable; no plural.
Patterns
- an act of terrorism
- combat terrorism
- a terrorism threat
The government has promised to crack down on terrorism.
International cooperation is essential to fight terrorism.
The bombing was condemned as an act of terrorism.
Common combinations
- act of terrorism
- The attack was widely condemned as an act of terrorism.
- fight terrorism
- The UN pledged to fight terrorism in all its forms.
- terrorism threat
- The terrorism threat level was raised to severe.
Synonyms and how they differ
- political violence
- A broader term that includes terrorism but also other forms of violence for political ends.
- insurgency
- Insurgency refers to an armed rebellion against a government, often involving guerrilla tactics, while terrorism specifically targets civilians.
Word family
- terrorist noun
- A person who uses violence for political aims.
- terrorise verb
- To make someone feel extreme fear.
Commonly confused: terrorism or terror?
terrorism vs terror
Terror is the feeling of extreme fear; terrorism is the use of violence to create that fear for political aims.
Practice
The group was accused of supporting ______ abroad.
Choose one answer.
The sentence needs a noun meaning the activity; 'terrorism' fits. 'Terrorist' is a person, 'terror' is the feeling, and 'terrorise' is a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “terrorism”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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