militate
verb
mil·i·tate ˈmi-lə-ˌtāt 
militated; militating
intransitive verb
: to have weight or effect
his boyish appearance militated against his getting an early promotion
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web There should be no zoning laws imposed, as has been done in other states, that, in a transparent attempt dictatorially to change the character of our suburbs, militate against single-family housing in favor of multifamily dwellings. 
Matt Canham, The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 Oct. 2021 Melanin levels varied, but most of the citizens had applied thick white lotion to their bodies to militate against UV damage from the failing yet persistent sunshine of the late British summer of a very bad year. Hermione Hoby, Harper's Magazine, 22 June 2021 That would militate in favor of the president’s naming a strong judicial conservative and McConnell’s trying to move it across the goal line. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 19 Sep. 2020 While mitigate has an undercurrent of facilitation, militate is more of a suppressive, authoritarian thing. Arunabh Saikia, Quartz India, 23 Mar. 2020 New infectious diseases come out of the blue, each with its own idiosyncrasies that militate against detailed advance planning. Robert Dingwall, Wired, 29 Jan. 2020 Being both a national memorial and a vast entertainment complex — in addition to a home for other performing arts — militates against sleeker definition. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2019 And a crucial aspect of his world view militates against monopolistic power. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2019 The work of every serious social scientist militated against it. Zadie Smith, The New Yorker, 26 Nov. 2019 See More
Matt Canham, The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 Oct. 2021 Melanin levels varied, but most of the citizens had applied thick white lotion to their bodies to militate against UV damage from the failing yet persistent sunshine of the late British summer of a very bad year. Hermione Hoby, Harper's Magazine, 22 June 2021 That would militate in favor of the president’s naming a strong judicial conservative and McConnell’s trying to move it across the goal line. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 19 Sep. 2020 While mitigate has an undercurrent of facilitation, militate is more of a suppressive, authoritarian thing. Arunabh Saikia, Quartz India, 23 Mar. 2020 New infectious diseases come out of the blue, each with its own idiosyncrasies that militate against detailed advance planning. Robert Dingwall, Wired, 29 Jan. 2020 Being both a national memorial and a vast entertainment complex — in addition to a home for other performing arts — militates against sleeker definition. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2019 And a crucial aspect of his world view militates against monopolistic power. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2019 The work of every serious social scientist militated against it. Zadie Smith, The New Yorker, 26 Nov. 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin militatus, past participle of militare to engage in warfare, from milit-, miles
First Known Use
1598, in the meaning defined above