Thesaurus results for STANDING ARMY

standing army

noun

Definition of standing army

as in national guard

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of standing army How a country founded in fear of a standing army came to think of its military as a bulwark of American democracy is the subject of my work. — Kori Schake, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2026 There was no standing army, so Congress had to raise and fund one. — Noah Feldman, Twin Cities, 5 Mar. 2026 Environmental concerns have held a central place in Costa Rica’s identity for years, much like its lack of a standing army, and the country has set ambitious sustainability goals. — Djenane Villanueva, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026 With Stalin’s large standing army smothering half of Europe, and his fledgling nuclear arsenal extending Moscow’s ambitions overseas, America had to scramble. — Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for standing army

Recent Examples of Synonyms for standing army

Noun

There are two national guard members waiting in line at the Starbucks on the ground floor.

— Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 4 July 2026
At least two military members also attend veteran funeral services, usually sent from either active duty, the national guard or the reserve, said Chadd Boland, a National Guard staff sergeant.

— Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026

Definition of national guard

Noun

The executions, announced Sunday, triggered condemnations by rights groups in the North African country that is divided between rival administrations, each backed by a set of militias and foreign governments.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Influential figures within the Taliban were appointed as his aides, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani network (a powerful Pashtun militia), and Mohammad Yaqoob, the son of Mohammad Omar.

— Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of militia

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standing armies

standing army

standing by

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“Standing army.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standing%20army. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of standing army

noun

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