armed forces
plural noun
: the combined military, naval, and air forces of a nation
called also armed services
Examples of armed forces in a Sentence
our nation's armed forces are stationed throughout the world
Recent Examples on the Web
Under the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, the use of federal armed forces for civilian law enforcement is generally prohibited.
—
Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Newsweek has reached out to the Ukrainian armed forces for comment.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
Her cuts to the military budget have also created discontent within the armed forces, generating instability that the kidnappers exploit to advance their plan.
—Time, 21 Aug. 2025
North Korea has ramped up its weapons program in the last few years under leader Kim Jong Un, rapidly modernizing its armed forces, developing new weapons and testing intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach almost anywhere in the United States.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for armed forces
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Newsweek has reached out to the Ukrainian armed forces for comment.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
Her cuts to the military budget have also created discontent within the armed forces, generating instability that the kidnappers exploit to advance their plan.
—Time, 21 Aug. 2025
North Korea has ramped up its weapons program in the last few years under leader Kim Jong Un, rapidly modernizing its armed forces, developing new weapons and testing intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach almost anywhere in the United States.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for armed forces
Cite this Entry
“Armed forces.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/armed%20forces. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share