Military — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈmi-lə-ˌter-ē/ mil·i·tary

Meaning & Definition of Military

Military (adjective)

  1. of or relating to soldiers, arms, or war
  2. of or relating to armed forces; especially, of or relating to ground or sometimes ground and air forces as opposed to naval forces
  3. performed or made by armed forces

Military (noun)

  1. military persons; especially, army officers
  2. armed forces

Military (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. of or relating to the armed services

    "the colonel testified that revealing any more information at the public hearing would have required giving away military secrets"

    similar: martial, service
    related: naval, GI, gladiatorial, mercenary, soldierly, militant, militarist, militaristic, warlike, enlisted, regular, paramilitary
    opposite: nonmilitary
    near: civil, civilian

  2. of, relating to, or suitable for war or a warrior

    "after returning from the war, the college president very unsuccessfully tried to impose military discipline on the students"

    similar: martial, soldierly
    related: aggressive, bellicose, combative, contentious, guerrilla, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, warlike, belligerent, militant, militarist, militaristic, warring, antagonistic, argumentative, fierce, gladiatorial, hot-tempered, mercenary
    opposite: unsoldierly
    near: civil, civilian, nonmilitary, conciliatory, nonviolent, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, affable, amiable, amicable, benevolent, complaisant, cordial, easygoing, friendly, genial, good-natured, gracious, ingratiating, obliging

Military (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the combined army, air force, and navy of a nation

    "some would insist that the military's budget is still inadequate"

    similar: armed forces, colors, service, troops
    related: GIs, men-at-arms, rank and file, servicemen, servicewomen, soldiers, soldiery, force, militia, reserves, armor, defense, gendarmerie
    near: civilians, noncombatants

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Military

The most common words with a similar meaning to Military:

martial, service, soldierly, armed forces, colors, troops

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Military

Words with the opposite meaning of Military:

nonmilitary, unsoldierly

Related Words for Military

naval, GI, gladiatorial, mercenary, militant, militarist, militaristic, warlike, enlisted, regular, paramilitary, aggressive, bellicose, combative, contentious, guerrilla, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, belligerent, warring, antagonistic, argumentative, fierce, hot-tempered, GIs, men-at-arms, rank and file, servicemen

Near Antonyms of Military

civil, civilian, conciliatory, nonviolent, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, affable, amiable, amicable, benevolent, complaisant, cordial, easygoing, friendly, genial, good-natured, gracious, ingratiating, obliging, civilians, noncombatants

Word Forms of Military

Inflections: militaries

Origin & Etymology of Military

Middle English, from Latin militaris, from milit-, miles soldier

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Military

Words & Phrases Containing Military

military brat, military-industrial complex, military police, military press, military science, military time, military service, anti-military

Frequently Asked Questions about Military

What does "Military" mean?

"Military" means of or relating to soldiers, arms, or war. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: of or relating to soldiers, arms, or war. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Military"?

Other words for "Military" include martial, service, soldierly, armed forces, colors and troops. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Military" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Military"?

There are 45 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Military". Common alternatives include martial, service, soldierly, armed forces, colors and troops.

What is the opposite of "Military"?

Antonyms of "Military" include nonmilitary and unsoldierly. Near antonyms include civil, civilian, conciliatory and nonviolent.

How do you use "Military" in a sentence?

Examples of "Military" in a sentence: "the colonel testified that revealing any more information at the public hearing would have required giving away military secrets"; "after returning from the war, the college president very unsuccessfully tried to impose military discipline on the students"; "some would insist that the military's budget is still inadequate".

Is "Military" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Military" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Military" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Military" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Military"?

"Military" is pronounced /ˈmi-lə-ˌter-ē/ and divided into syllables as mil·i·tary.