service member

noun

variants or less commonly servicemember

ˈsər-vəs-ˌmem-bər 

plural service members also servicemembers

: a person who is a member of the armed forces

Once Federal Judge Martin Barash administered the oath of allegiance and spoke about their new responsibilities and privileges, he singled out each service member by name (the only new citizens offered this recognition), and the crowd responded with standing ovations.

—Smithsonian

For three-quarters of a century, East Helena has proudly honored servicemembers with a monument in the heart of town. And now community leaders are looking for names of area veterans as they rebuild the monument with a new design.

—Tom Kuglin

Examples of service member in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

All service members will be required to take the physical assessment twice a year, regardless of rank, Hegseth said, in addition to meeting weight and height requirements yearly. —Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025

Millions would be without pay If there is a shutdown, as many 4 million federal employees, including some service members, could go without a paycheck. —ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025

Many command thousands of service members and are stationed across the world in more than a dozen countries and time zones. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2025

Her third contribution went to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS), which provides financial, educational and emergency assistance to active-duty service members, veterans and their families. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for service member

• december
• dismember
• nonmember
• november
• remember
• september
• ember