mil·i·tary
ˈmi-lə-ˌter-ē 
1
a
: of or relating to soldiers, arms, or war
military discipline
the country's military needs
b
: of or relating to armed forces
especially
: of or relating to ground or sometimes ground and air forces as opposed to naval forces
military and naval affairs
2
a
: performed or made by armed forces
military operations
b
: supported by armed force
a military government
3
: of or relating to the army
the military academy at West Point
plural military also militaries
1
: military persons
especially
: army officers
2
Synonyms
Examples of military in a Sentence
Adjective
He is being tried in a military court rather than in a civilian court.
He has had a long military career.
Noun
There were many military present but only a few civilians.
some would insist that the military's budget is still inadequate
Recent Examples on the Web
Alyce McFadden, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2024
From the day of death until the interment of an associate justice of the Supreme Court, a secretary of an executive or military department, a former vice president or the governor of a state.
—Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 7 Dec. 2024
Greg Myre, NPR, 8 Dec. 2024
The chaos could spill into neighboring Lebanon and Iraq, and no amount of military might can fully insulate Israel from the ripple effects of a fractured Syria.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for military 
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Adjective
Unmanned objects in the sky have been spotted near U.S. military bases several times in the past year.
—Alyce McFadden, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2024
From the day of death until the interment of an associate justice of the Supreme Court, a secretary of an executive or military department, a former vice president or the governor of a state.
—Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
Hundreds of thousands of Syrians were killed, many of them civilians, and mostly by the Syrian military.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 8 Dec. 2024
The chaos could spill into neighboring Lebanon and Iraq, and no amount of military might can fully insulate Israel from the ripple effects of a fractured Syria.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for military
Dictionary Entries Near military
Cite this Entry
“Military.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/military. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
military
1 of 2 adjective
mil·i·tary
ˈmil-ə-ˌter-ē
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of soldiers, arms, or war
military discipline
2
: carried on or supported by armed force
a military government
3
: of or relating to the army
military and naval affairs
military
2 of 2 noun
plural military
1
2
: military persons
especially
: army officers
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