1
a
: one engaged in military service and especially in the army
b
: an enlisted man or woman
c
: a skilled warrior
2
: a militant leader, follower, or worker
3
a
: one of a caste of wingless sterile termites usually differing from workers in larger size and head and long jaws
b
: one of a type of worker ants distinguished by exceptionally large head and jaws
4
ˈsō-jər 
ˈsōl-
: one who shirks work
soldiered; soldiering
ˈsōl-jə-riŋ
ˈsōlj-riŋ
1
a
: to serve as a soldier
b
: to behave in a soldierly manner
c
: to push doggedly forward
—usually used with on
soldiered on to the end
2
: to make a pretense of working while really loafing
Synonyms
Examples of soldier in a Sentence
Noun
Many soldiers were wounded in combat.
one of the goals of war is to keep as many soldiers as possible from being killed
Recent Examples on the Web
Hazem Balousha, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
Prior to their invention, British soldiers wore topcoats made of heavy wool that would become even heavier when wet.
—Isaiah Freeman-Schub, Robb Report, 21 Sep. 2023
There was nothing more satisfying than landing a good headshot on an enemy soldier vacating a building full of mustard gas.
—WIRED, 20 Sep. 2023
Another 20 people, including 17 US soldiers, were brought in for questioning but not detained, and sent to the prosecution for further investigation, police said.
—Gawon Bae, CNN, 20 Sep. 2023
About a month later, soldiers fight in Yorktown, Va., in the last major battle of the Revolutionary War.
—Amelia Nierenberg, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023
Crowds of people on the Haitian side gathered under the shade of trees as armed Dominican soldiers patrolled entry points and military planes roared overhead.
—Martín Adames Alcántara and Dánica Coto, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Sep. 2023
But in more remote areas, including western Ierapetra, the soldiers were told to show no mercy to anyone.
—Carolyn Hagler, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Sep. 2023
Residents swept rubble off the main road into town and people cheered when trucks full of soldiers arrived.
—Sam Metz and Mosa'ab Elshamy, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Sep. 2023
Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 6 May 2023
If China tries to soldier through its outbreak, without reimposing public health measures or ramping up vaccinations, scientists are concerned that many more may needlessly die.
—Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2022
By hoarding minerals, the hollow osteoderms could have allowed Rapetosaurus to soldier on in an unforgiving environment.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 2 Dec. 2011
The city’s designers, respectfully, chose to soldier on.
—Elizabeth Paton, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2022
Although the evidence is mixed, my recommendation would be to try to soldier thru the post-vaccination discomfort.
—Dr. Michael Daignault, USA TODAY, 13 Oct. 2022
On March 23 in Manchester England, Hearn and bassist Jim Creeggan both tested positive for Covid-19, and frontman Ed Robertson and drummer Tyler Stewart opted to soldier on as a duo, for the first time ever.
—Gary Graff, cleveland, 27 June 2022
Curt Casali spent last year watching Buster Posey try to soldier through two-thirds of the San Francisco Giants’ games behind the plate despite playing with a lot of physical discomfort.
—Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 June 2022
There was no treatment, I was told, and left to soldier on as if nothing was happening, for fear I’d be accused of being slovenly yet again.
—Erin Prater, Fortune, 11 June 2022
See More
Noun
In June, Israeli soldiers mounted a two-day incursion into Jenin, the largest military operation in the occupied West Bank in decades.
—Hazem Balousha, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
Prior to their invention, British soldiers wore topcoats made of heavy wool that would become even heavier when wet.
—Isaiah Freeman-Schub, Robb Report, 21 Sep. 2023
There was nothing more satisfying than landing a good headshot on an enemy soldier vacating a building full of mustard gas.
—WIRED, 20 Sep. 2023
Another 20 people, including 17 US soldiers, were brought in for questioning but not detained, and sent to the prosecution for further investigation, police said.
—Gawon Bae, CNN, 20 Sep. 2023
About a month later, soldiers fight in Yorktown, Va., in the last major battle of the Revolutionary War.
—Amelia Nierenberg, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023
Crowds of people on the Haitian side gathered under the shade of trees as armed Dominican soldiers patrolled entry points and military planes roared overhead.
—Martín Adames Alcántara and Dánica Coto, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Sep. 2023
But in more remote areas, including western Ierapetra, the soldiers were told to show no mercy to anyone.
—Carolyn Hagler, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Sep. 2023
Residents swept rubble off the main road into town and people cheered when trucks full of soldiers arrived.
—Sam Metz and Mosa'ab Elshamy, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Sep. 2023
Verb
The little prince soldiered through the festivities though not without some signature cheeky facial expressions.
—Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 6 May 2023
If China tries to soldier through its outbreak, without reimposing public health measures or ramping up vaccinations, scientists are concerned that many more may needlessly die.
—Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2022
By hoarding minerals, the hollow osteoderms could have allowed Rapetosaurus to soldier on in an unforgiving environment.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 2 Dec. 2011
The city’s designers, respectfully, chose to soldier on.
—Elizabeth Paton, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2022
Although the evidence is mixed, my recommendation would be to try to soldier thru the post-vaccination discomfort.
—Dr. Michael Daignault, USA TODAY, 13 Oct. 2022
On March 23 in Manchester England, Hearn and bassist Jim Creeggan both tested positive for Covid-19, and frontman Ed Robertson and drummer Tyler Stewart opted to soldier on as a duo, for the first time ever.
—Gary Graff, cleveland, 27 June 2022
Curt Casali spent last year watching Buster Posey try to soldier through two-thirds of the San Francisco Giants’ games behind the plate despite playing with a lot of physical discomfort.
—Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 June 2022
There was no treatment, I was told, and left to soldier on as if nothing was happening, for fear I’d be accused of being slovenly yet again.
—Erin Prater, Fortune, 11 June 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'soldier.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English soudeour, from Anglo-French soudeer, soudeour mercenary, from soudee shilling's worth, wage, from sou, soud shilling, from Late Latin solidus solidus
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of soldier was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing soldier
Articles Related to soldier
Dictionary Entries Near soldier
Cite this Entry
“Soldier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soldier. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
soldier
1 of 2 noun
sol·dier
ˈsōl-jər
1
a
: a person in military service and especially in the army
b
: an enlisted person
2
: a worker in something strongly believed in
3
: a termite or ant with a large head and jaws that is a member of a caste that protects the colony
soldierly
adjective
More from Merriam-Webster on soldier
Nglish: Translation of soldier for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of soldier for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share