MILITATE

v. 1 Usually, militate against. discourage, work or go or operate against, foil, counter, countervail, cancel (out), reduce (possibility of), prevent, hinder, resist, oppose His poor prison record militates against his early parole 2 Usually, militate for or in favour of. be on the side of, favour, further, promote, help, aid The same reasoning that militated in favour of lower taxes then persists today