standing army

noun

: a permanent army of paid soldiers

Examples of standing army in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Roman emperors typically had tens of thousands of people serving in the Praetorian Guard; modern autocrats rely on standing armies. — Seva Gunitsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026

Many Americans feared and distrusted the idea of a standing army into the first half of the nineteenth century. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 25 May 2026

Finland became a full member of NATO in April 2023, adding Finland’s standing army of nearly 280,000 (with a reserve of 900,000) to guard its 830-mile (1,340-km) border with Russia. — L. Sue Baugh, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026

The Framers warned us about the dangers of a standing army in a democratic republic and its potential misuse in domestic affairs. — Angus King, Time, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined above