mil·i·tary
ˈmi-lə-ˌter-ē 
1
a
: of or relating to soldiers, arms, or war
military discipline/life/service
the country's military needs
a military career
b
: of or relating to armed forces
especially
: of or relating to ground or sometimes ground and air forces as opposed to naval forces
military and naval affairs
2
a
: performed or made by armed forces
military operations
b
: supported by armed force
a military government
a military coup
3
: of or relating to the army
the military academy at West Point
plural military also militaries
1
: military persons
especially
: army officers
2
Examples of military in a Sentence
Adjective
He is being tried in a military court rather than in a civilian court.
He has had a long military career.
Noun
There were many military present but only a few civilians.
some would insist that the military's budget is still inadequate
Recent Examples on the Web
ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
Filmmakers have used the Civil War as a setting for many decades now, inspiring stories of epic military battles, romantic melodramas, and even satires, from sweeping Best Picture winners like Gone With the Wind (1939) to revisionist Westerns like Django Unchained (2012).
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
Veronica Ortega, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Flying south of Iran, Rutherford and co-pilot Shannon Wong had attracted the attention of the US military, which was newly at war in the Middle East.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for military
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Adjective
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised to abide by the ceasefire, but warned there would be a swift military response to any violations.
—ABC News, 12 Apr. 2026
Filmmakers have used the Civil War as a setting for many decades now, inspiring stories of epic military battles, romantic melodramas, and even satires, from sweeping Best Picture winners like Gone With the Wind (1939) to revisionist Westerns like Django Unchained (2012).
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
While a tentative ceasefire is in place, the Israeli military continued to strike targets in Lebanon, killing civilians in the process.
—Veronica Ortega, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Flying south of Iran, Rutherford and co-pilot Shannon Wong had attracted the attention of the US military, which was newly at war in the Middle East.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for military
Cite this Entry
“Military.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/military. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
military
1 of 2 adjective
mil·i·tary
ˈmil-ə-ˌter-ē
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of soldiers, arms, or war
military discipline
2
: carried on or supported by armed force
a military government
3
: of or relating to the army
military and naval affairs
military
2 of 2 noun
plural military
1
2
: military persons
especially
: army officers
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