mil·i·ta·rize
ˈmi-lə-tə-ˌrīz 
militarized; militarizing
1
: to give a military character to
militarize a country's foreign policy
2
: to equip with military forces and defenses
The area is now fully militarized.
a militarized zone
3
: to adapt for military use
mil·i·ta·ri·za·tion
variants
also British militarisation
ˌmilətərə̇ˈzāshən,
-lətər-,
-rīˈ-
plural -s
: the act of imbuing with a military character or converting to military status
militarization of youth organizations
Examples of militarize in a Sentence
Verb
militarize a country's foreign policy
Recent Examples on the Web
Franklin Briceño, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Her proposals include implementing technology to track extortions, militarizing borders and increasing the presence of police and military personnel in high-risk areas.
—ABC News, 7 June 2026
The grid of international borders must therefore be ever more militarized, or else the system of states—which is now explicitly a class system, whose functioning depends on mass immobilization—cannot work.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Trump said Xi also told him that China intended to continue buying oil from Iran, even as Beijing opposed any effort by Iran to militarize or effectively toll the Strait of Hormuz.
—Nik Popli, Time, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for militarize
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Verb
Her proposals included implementing technology to track extortion, militarizing borders and increasing the presence of police and military personnel in high-risk areas.
—Franklin Briceño, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Her proposals include implementing technology to track extortions, militarizing borders and increasing the presence of police and military personnel in high-risk areas.
—ABC News, 7 June 2026
The grid of international borders must therefore be ever more militarized, or else the system of states—which is now explicitly a class system, whose functioning depends on mass immobilization—cannot work.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Trump said Xi also told him that China intended to continue buying oil from Iran, even as Beijing opposed any effort by Iran to militarize or effectively toll the Strait of Hormuz.
—Nik Popli, Time, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for militarize
Cite this Entry
“Militarize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/militarize. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
militarize
verb
mil·i·ta·rize
ˈmil-ə-tə-ˌrīz
militarized; militarizing
1
: to equip with military forces and defenses
2
: to give a military character to
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