civil defense

noun

: the system of protective measures and emergency relief activities conducted by civilians in case of hostile attack, sabotage, or natural disaster

Examples of civil defense in a Sentence

She's in training to be part of the local civil defense. the head of civil defense
Recent Examples on the Web Persistent rains and destructive flooding in the southern Brazilian state have left 150 people dead, 2.1 million affected, 620,000 residents displaced and 807 people injured, according to civil defense officials. Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 17 May 2024 About 136 people have also been reported to be missing, the state's civil defense authority has said, as per Reuters. Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 9 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for civil defense 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'civil defense.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of civil defense was in 1939

Dictionary Entries Near civil defense

Cite this Entry

“Civil defense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20defense. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

civil defense

noun
: protective actions and emergency relief activities carried on by civilians in case of enemy attack or natural disaster

More from Merriam-Webster on civil defense

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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