The Collaborative International Dictionary
militate against \mil"i*tate a*gainst"\, v. t. To argue against; to cast doubt on; -- used in reference to facts which tend to disprove a hypothesis; as, the absence of a correlation of budget deficits with inflation militates against any causal relation between the two. Opposite of support.
Usage examples of "militate against".
And although, according to this rule, the ceremonies and legal procedures of the Old Testament are not now observed, since they are to be understood figuratively, whereas the truth is made known in the New Testament, yet the carrying out of the Sacrament or of Relics to still a storm does not seem to militate against this rule.
And he reasons thus: that the sin of man proceeds from free-will, but the devil cannot destroy free-will, for this would militate against liberty: therefore the devil cannot be the cause of that or any other sin.
Also, of course, after a certain level, perpetual war may militate against technological progress.
He's the central figure -- it's his relationship with Lily that fuels the plot, and all the other characters are linked by their friendship with him -- but Denton gives us chapters from every other significant character's point of view as well, and this tends to militate against the kind of exaggerated humor of Bellwether.
Reasons of prudence, or the interest of other people, may militate against actually exacting it.
He had almost started to tiptoe down the stairs again when it occurred to him that too scrupulous a regard for his own honour in this instance might militate against his being able to rescue Amanda.
Widespread Economic Independence will of course militate against such a trend.
This would militate against making the contest a respected annual event.
For if it happened that an individual, even when asleep, had some very distinct idea, as, for example, if a geometer should discover some new demonstration, the circumstance of his being asleep would not militate against its truth.