Definition of terrorism Terrorism

/tɛˈɹɚɪˌzʌm/ - [tererizum] - ter•ror•ism

We found 9 definitions of terrorism from 6 different sources.

What does terrorism mean?

WordNet

Noun Plural: terrorisms
terrorism - the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear
		act of terrorism, terrorist act
		terror the use of extreme fear in order to coerce people (especially for political reasons); "he used terror to make them confess"
		biological terrorism, bioterrorism terrorism using the weapons of biological warfare
		chemical terrorism terrorism using the chemical agents of chemical warfare; can undermine the personal security of citizens; "a good agent for chemical terrorism should be colorless and odorless and inexpensive and readily available and not detectable until symptoms are experienced"
		cyber-terrorism, cyberwar an assault on electronic communication networks
		domestic terrorism terrorism practiced in your own country against your own people; "the 1995 bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City was an instance of domestic terrorism"
		eco-warfare, ecological terrorism, ecological warfare, ecoterrorism violence carried out to further the political or social objectives of the environmentalists
		international terrorism terrorism practiced in a foreign country by terrorists who are not native to that country
		narcoterrorism the financing of terrorist activities by participation in the drug trade
		nuclear terrorism the use of a nuclear device by a terrorist organization to cause massive devastation or the use (or threat of use) of fissionable radioactive materials; "assaults on nuclear power plants is one form of nuclear terrorism"
		state-sponsored terrorism terrorism practiced by a government against its own people or in support of international terrorism
		theoterrorism terrorism for a religious purpose
		terrorist attack a surprise attack involving the deliberate use of violence against civilians in the hope of attaining political or religious aims

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Wiktionary

terrorism (Noun)
The deliberate commission of an act of violence to create an emotional response through the suffering of the victims in the furtherance of a political or social agenda.
terrorism (Noun)
Violence against civilians to achieve military or political objectives.
terrorism (Noun)
A form of psychological manipulation through warfare to the purpose of political or religious gains, by means of deliberately creating a climate of fear amongst the inhabitants of a specific geographical region.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

terrorism (n.)
The act of terrorizing, or state of being terrorized; a mode of government by terror or intimidation.
terrorism (n.)
The practise of coercing governments to accede to political demands by committing violence on civilian targets; any similar use of violence to achieve goals.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

terrorism
Calculated use of violence, or the threat of violence, against civilians or property to coerce or intimidate governments or societies in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature.

Wikipedia

Terrorism is the act of scaring people for a social or political reason using violence (or threat of violence). A person who uses terrorism is called a terrorist.

Terrorists think that if civilians are afraid of them, they will have more power over other people. But a boy who hits his sister only for attention is not a terrorist (although it may hurt very badly). Terrorists may also be trying to make their enemies attack the people whom the terrorists claim to represent. The terrorists do this because they think that the people who have been attacked will help them. For example, terrorism has been endemic to Israel for a long time. There, Palestinian Hamas terrorists killed Israeli civilians in bomb attacks, provoking Israel into carrying out revenge attacks against Palestinian civilians, thus increasing Palestinian hate for Israel and support for Hamas. An example of a well-known terrorist is Osama bin Laden, the founder of al-Qaeda and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Although some people first picture terrorists as Muslims or religious groups, but this is not necessarily correct. An example of a non-religious sepratist-terrorist group would be Euskadi Ta Askatasuna also known as the ETA.

According to the National Counterterrorism Center, terrorists killed 20,498 people in 2006. By comparison, the World Health Organization estimates that 2 million people die each year from tuberculosis. The major effects of terrorism comes from the fear it generates.

Terrorist operations are usually f