court-mar·tial
ˈkȯrt-ˌmär-shəl 
-ˈmär-
plural courts-martial also court-martials
1
: a court consisting of commissioned officers and in some instances enlisted personnel for the trial of members of the armed forces or others within its jurisdiction
2
: a trial by court-martial
court-martialed also court-martialled; court-martialing also court-martialling
ˈkȯrt-ˌmär-sh(ə-)liŋ
-ˈmär-
: to subject to trial by court-martial
Examples of court-martial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 4 June 2025
Milk, a former Navy lieutenant who served during the Korean War aboard a submarine rescue ship, was forced to resign from service after four years and accept an other than honorable discharge instead of facing a court-martial for being gay – at the time a crime within the military.
—Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 3 June 2025
Their unit commanders called in Dr. Coates and several fellow soldiers and threatened them with court-martial and execution.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2025
The base provost marshal and military police supported the driver, and Robinson was subject to court-martial.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for court-martial
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Noun
Nick Offerman slams 'Parks and Rec' fan insinuating Ron Swanson is homophobic
Milk served as a lieutenant, junior grade in the Navy during the Korean War, opting to resign in 1955 rather than face court-martial because of his sexuality.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 4 June 2025
Milk, a former Navy lieutenant who served during the Korean War aboard a submarine rescue ship, was forced to resign from service after four years and accept an other than honorable discharge instead of facing a court-martial for being gay – at the time a crime within the military.
—Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 3 June 2025
Their unit commanders called in Dr. Coates and several fellow soldiers and threatened them with court-martial and execution.
—Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2025
The base provost marshal and military police supported the driver, and Robinson was subject to court-martial.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for court-martial
Video
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'Poets laureate'? 'Court-martials'? The curious history of postpositive adjectives in English.
Cite this Entry
“Court-martial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/court-martial. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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