[Ads-l] kinetic

[Ben Zimmer]

"Kinetic event" was brought up here in 2010 by (checks notes) Jon Lighter.

https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2010-September/102743.html

It would go on to win the Most Euphemistic category in the 2010 ADS WOTY
voting (defined on the nomination list as "Pentagon term for violent
attacks on troops in Afghanistan").

--bgz

On Wed, May 6, 2026 at 7:21 AM Jonathan Lighter <
00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

> 'Involving offensive military action or active fire.' This specific
> military sense is not in  MW, but I've been hearing it almost every day on
> the news.  It strikes me as recent.
>
> <goog_809991342>
> https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/05/world/live-news/iran-war-news :
> Pausing US “kinetic activity” around the Strait of Hormuz could help bring
> moderate voices in the Iranian regime back to the negotiating table, he
> said.
>
> https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/089bc1a2fe684405a67d67f13bd31324 :
> The Iran and Axis Response feature represents Iranian and Axis of
> Resistance retaliatory strikes against the US, Israel, and countries
> hosting US bases, and other targets. The feature consists of discrete
> kinetic events recorded by date, location, and actor.
>
> JL
>
>

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