armed forces

plural noun

: the combined military, naval, and air forces of a nation

called also armed services

Synonyms of armed forces

• troops
• soldiers

Examples of armed forces in a Sentence

our nation's armed forces are stationed throughout the world

Recent Examples on the Web

For Greece, the investment is part of a broader effort to modernize its armed forces and enhance deterrence capabilities in a region marked by persistent security concerns. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026

The president also acts as the commander-in-chief of Bangladesh's armed forces. — ABC News, 24 July 2026

The new acting minister of defense, Yevhenii Khmara, and the new commander of the armed forces, Mykhailo Drapatyi, both belong to the same generation as Fedorov and Zelensky. — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026

Iran fired four missiles toward Jordan this morning, three of which were intercepted, according to the country’s armed forces, as Tehran continues its retaliatory strikes across the region. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for armed forces

• reinforces
• watercourses
• courses
• horses
• sources
• discourses
• divorces
• endorses
• enforces
• indorses
• racehorses
• workforces

Kids Definition

armed forces

plural noun

: the military, naval, and air forces of a nation