jihad

noun

ji·​had ji-ˈhäd How to pronounce jihad (audio)
 chiefly British  -ˈhad
variants or less commonly jehad
1
: a holy war waged on behalf of Islam as a religious duty
also : a personal struggle in devotion to Islam especially involving spiritual discipline
2
: a crusade for a principle or belief

Examples of jihad in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But Part Two told the story of Paul Atreides’s rise to power with a satisfying mix of triumph and gruesomeness, rendering his planetary jihad in awe-inspiring fashion. David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2024 Yet foreign capitals, investors, and NGOs hesitate to engage deeply with a group that once championed armed jihad. Guney Yildiz, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024 Seeking cash, Hamas turns to allies experienced in ‘financial jihad’ His Maryland zebras escaped. Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2024 Early one October morning in 2018, Sharma got a call from an informant reporting a love jihad emergency. Mohammad Ali, WIRED, 14 Apr. 2020 See all Example Sentences for jihad 

Word History

Etymology

Arabic jihād

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jihad was in 1837

Dictionary Entries Near jihad

Cite this Entry

“Jihad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jihad. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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