shock troops

plural noun

1
: troops especially suited and chosen for offensive work because of their high morale, training, and discipline
2
: a group of people militant in pressing for a cause

Examples of shock troops in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Some of Ukraine’s new units will need six to nine months of additional training and some battlefield experience to prepare to serve as the shock troops and strike force for a 2025 offensive. Alexander Vindman, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2024 It’s set 49 years in the future, a time when surveillance drones swarm the skies and shock troops keep the order, truncheons in hand. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2024 Now more than ever, the political coterie and the shock troops are aligned. Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2024 It’s put aside the rule of law and civil behavior in favor of shock troops. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 31 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for shock troops 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shock troops.' 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

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shock troops was in 1887

Dictionary Entries Near shock troops

Cite this Entry

“Shock troops.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shock%20troops. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!