civil defense

noun

: the system of protective measures and emergency relief activities conducted by civilians in case of hostile attack, sabotage, or natural disaster

Examples of civil defense in a Sentence

She's in training to be part of the local civil defense. the head of civil defense
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That’s according to Gaza civil defense. ABC News, 12 Oct. 2025 At least two died in Mati City near the epicenter, civil defense official previously Karlo Puerto told Reuters. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025 This includes launching a whole-of-society resilience campaign, simulating realistic scenarios of Chinese military attacks in defense training, expanding public participation in civil defense, and simulating responses to cyberattacks and gray-zone threats. Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2025 The sirens will wail, much like tornado or civil defense sirens, with a range of up to a mile and a half depending on terrain and leaf-cover, Grasty said. Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for civil defense

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of civil defense was in 1939

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Civil defense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20defense. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

civil defense

noun
: protective actions and emergency relief activities carried on by civilians in case of enemy attack or natural disaster

More from Merriam-Webster on civil defense

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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