Word
jihad
Phoneticsji·had
US/ˈdʒihæd/
UK/dʒɪhˈɑːd/
Definition
n. a very strong or determined campaign for a specific cause or idea.
n. a vigorous or aggressive campaign for a political or social cause.
Examples
“The scholar spoke about the internal jihad for self-improvement.”
“Scholars often distinguish between the internal struggle for spiritual discipline and the external efforts to maintain social justice, both of which fall under the broad concept of jihad.”
Examples
simple
“The scholar spoke about the internal jihad for self-improvement.”
complex
“Scholars often distinguish between the internal struggle for spiritual discipline and the external efforts to maintain social justice, both of which fall under the broad concept of jihad.”
Teaching tip
This metaphorical use can be sensitive; students should be aware that it may be seen as offensive or hyperbolic depending on the audience.
Real-World Examples
“Doctors assessing El-Banhasawy said, “this [jihad] is not an unusual path through which young people become involved in extreme political violence.”
And as we said, the proof is in the pudding.” “When the FBI investigated after 9/11, agents were told some of the participants were taking part to train for jihad.” Etymology
From Arabic جِهَاد (jihād, “struggle; effort”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/jihad