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

Here’s what matters: Trump just nationalized California’s national guard in his latest step on his authoritarian march to stomp out dissent against mass deportations. —Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025

Trump’s also signed an order to send national guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee. —The Hill, 16 Sep. 2025

Trump pledged to repeal the Act and deploy the national guard as an occupying police force in Chicago. —Rebecca Wallace, Denver Post, 5 Sep. 2025

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, 3 Sep. 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