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

In parallel, the initiative is developing workforce training through online courses, boot camps, and educational resources focused on semiconductor resource efficiency. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026

Van Der Werf recruits unemployed or underemployed Europeans as young as 18-years-old, into a five-week boot camp run by military veterans to teach teamwork, strength, and discipline. — Richard Morgan, Time, 29 June 2026

After completing boot camp, Pebbles went home with Karen and Travis Tillman, longtime supporters of Alaqua, who have adopted numerous beloved pets from the organization, including Kenzie. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026

There’s a disconnect between the Artisan that his subscribers see and the more nuanced teacher who appears at boot camps. — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 27 June 2026

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