I&#x27;m not claiming to give a formal definition of terrorism, I&#x27;m just saying that if such a definition exists it should definitely include the Paris attacks, otherwise it would be meaningless.<p>Regardless of that, the events that you mentioned are massive, coordinated, state-level actions. I just can&#x27;t accept labeling those as terrorism without that word losing any meaning. Yes, those events are horrible, but not every horrible thing that involves killing civilians is terrorism even when if&#x27;s brutal mass murder. There are other words too, like genocide, war crimes, massacre, assassinations, etc.