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

On Thanksgiving Day, the Trumps will honor a modern tradition of calling service members from their home. —Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025

Vance, a Marine veteran, is also expected to deliver remarks to the service members. —Olivia Rinaldi, CBS News, 24 Nov. 2025

But a large percentage of service members understand their duty to follow the law in such a difficult moment. —Charli Carpenter, The Conversation, 21 Nov. 2025

In June 2025, the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Human Security Lab surveyed 818 active-duty service members about unlawful orders. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for service member

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