boot camp

noun

1

: a navy or marine corps camp for basic training

2

: a disciplinary facility or program in which young offenders are forced to participate in a rigidly structured routine

3

: a place or undertaking that resembles a military boot camp especially by requiring one to endure intensive training or initiation

Nowadays, the more talented players view their college years as necessary boot camp to prepare them for the riches waiting for them in pro football.

—Anson Mount

These youngsters are put through what amounts to a boot camp of courses in music notation, basic harmony and ear-training.

—Smithsonian

Examples of boot camp in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The nonprofit runs a boot camp to help vendors clear regulatory hurdles. —Emma Hall, Sacramento Bee, 15 Mar. 2025

These participants, ranging from 20 to 27 years old, represented the top talent from their respective countries after a rigorous selection process involving pre-boot camp assessments in each country. —Tarun Galagali, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025

The attack plot targeting Great Lakes, the Navy’s main boot camp training facility, was from the inside. —Nbc Chicago, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2025

ProPublica will cover participants’ expenses for meals, travel and lodging during the boot camp. —Talia Buford, ProPublica, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for boot camp

• decamp
• encamp
• headlamp
• preamp
• revamp
• timestamp
• amp
• champ
• clamp
• cramp
• damp
• gamp

Kids Definition

boot camp

noun

: a camp where recently enlisted members of the Navy or Marine Corps receive their basic training