as in to disarm
to reduce the size and strength of the armed forces of
the two nations agreed to demilitarize themselves reciprocally in hopes of avoiding war
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Recent Examples of demilitarize
The Ukrainian leader said any withdrawal of troops would have to be reciprocal, with Moscow giving up as much Ukrainian territory as that ceded by Kyiv and those pockets of the Donbas becoming demilitarized as a result.
—
Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
Officials said the operations are part of a systematic effort to demilitarize the peninsula.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
The original plan would see the eastern region demilitarized, and Ukraine would be able to build new defensive lines, so the military loss would not be severe.
—Anatol Lieven, Time, 28 Nov. 2025
Among its stickier points is the establishment of a coalition of international troops to ensure Gaza is demilitarized.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demilitarize
Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
Officials said the operations are part of a systematic effort to demilitarize the peninsula.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
The original plan would see the eastern region demilitarized, and Ukraine would be able to build new defensive lines, so the military loss would not be severe.
—Anatol Lieven, Time, 28 Nov. 2025
Among its stickier points is the establishment of a coalition of international troops to ensure Gaza is demilitarized.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demilitarize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demilitarize
Verb
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But those big goals contrast with the reality on the ground, where disarming Hamas remains a challenge.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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Questions about disarming Hamas Central to Thursday’s discussions was creating an armed international stabilization force to keep security and ensure the disarming of the militant Hamas group, a key demand of Israel and a cornerstone of the ceasefire deal.—
Aamer Madhani,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Rattling off the potential for irreparable harm, the attorney said that demobilizing the project and then restarting it would significantly delay the overall timeline of the critical infrastructure project, or even torpedo the whole thing.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
6 Feb. 2026
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The city coordinates with community partners like Jericho Way to ensure transportation and shelter for homeless residents during periods when the city's temporary emergency shelter is demobilized.—
Bill Bowden,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demilitarize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demilitarize. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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