national guard

noun

1

: a military establishment serving as a national constabulary and defense force

2

capitalized : a militia force recruited by each state of the U.S., equipped by the federal government, and jointly maintained subject to the call of either

Examples of national guard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Police and national guards take measures as thousands of anti-ICE protesters are gathered outside of the Federal Building in Los Angeles, California on June 9, 2025 amid protests over immigration raids. —Dan Mangan, CNBC, 13 June 2025

The Trump Administration's unlawful efforts to force federalized national guard forces and the U.S. military to patrol our streets is deeply alarming and cannot go unchecked. —Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025

Republican states need not worry much – yet – even though Texas called up more than 5,000 national guard troops to ready for responses to possible upcoming raids there. —Thomas Elias, Oc Register, 27 June 2025

At a hearing last week, attorneys for California argued Trump's federalization of national guard troops was unlawful. —Larry Kaplow, NPR, 19 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1792, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for national guard

• asgard
• backyard
• barnyard
• blackguard
• bombard
• brickyard
• canard
• churchyard
• coastguard
• courtyard
• debarred
• diehard

Kids Definition

national guard

noun

1

capitalized : a militia force recruited by each state, equipped by the federal government, and subject to the call of either

2

: a military force serving as a national police and defense force

national guardsman noun often capitalized