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

The two service members were reported missing near the Cap Draa Training Area near the city of Tan Tan in southwestern Morocco. —Kate Perez, USA Today, 4 May 2026

Current spending priorities too often benefit contractors rather than service members. —Linh Tat, Oc Register, 4 May 2026

Last fall, the task force heard testimony from current and former service members who described UAP encounters. —ABC News, 3 May 2026

The number of troops leaving Germany would amount to 14% of the 36,000 American service members stationed there. —Ben Finley, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for service member

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