rearmament

noun

re·​ar·​ma·​ment (ˌ)rē-ˈär-mə-mənt 

: the act or practice of rearming : the act or practice of equipping a nation, a military force, etc. again with new or better weapons

concerns about nuclear rearmament

Countries like Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia all have borders with Russia and may consider rearmament.

—Khen Elazar

Examples of rearmament in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The continent’s rearmament, a process that began in earnest last year, will take at least three to five years to be credible. —Mujtaba Rahman, Time, 7 Jan. 2026

Defense stocks in Europe and Asia surged on Monday as investors assessed how the dramatic overthrow of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro could herald a significant geopolitical shift that will boost the rearmament trade in the long run. —Hugh Leask, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026

France to build first aircraft carrier in decades French President Emmanuel Macron said his country would build its first aircraft carrier in decades, the latest sign of Europe’s rapidly increasing rearmament. —semafor.com, 22 Dec. 2025

The strategy also provides space for nuclear rearmament by calling for Washington to restore strategic nuclear stability with Moscow. —Rebeccah Heinrichs, Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

re- + armament, after rearm

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rearmament

• disarmament
• armament