Air Force
Americannoun
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the U.S. department consisting of practically all military aviation forces, established July 26, 1947.
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air force, a similar department in any military organization.
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air force, (formerly) the largest unit in the U.S. Army Air Forces.
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air force, a unit of U.S. Air Force command between an air division and an air command.
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Sometimes air force the military unit of a nation charged with carrying out military operations in the air.
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British. Royal Air Force.
noun
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the branch of a nation's armed services primarily responsible for air warfare
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( as modifier )
an air-force base
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a formation in the US and certain other air forces larger than an air division but smaller than an air command
Etymology
Origin of Air Force
First recorded in 1915–1920
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink declared this week that the United States has weapons orbiting in outer space.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Like many pilots, Barath got his start in the Air Force.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
Barbin said he had last year informed the Danish foreign ministry of "dangerous flyovers and low-altitude hovering" by a Danish Air Force helicopter over a large anti-submarine vessel.
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
At least three aircraft hangars or shelters appear to have been damaged at the Royal Saudi Air Force facility where US-made F-15 fighter jets are based.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
Thanks largely to the tireless work of his son, Powers was awarded the Silver Star by the Air Force in 2012.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
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The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the state fire department, runs the world’s largest civilian firefighting air force.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
Moscow maintains an air force base in Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic, but as Moscow’s international clout has waned during its protracted war in Ukraine, China has grown ascendant in the country.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Three judges heard the case at Camp Zeist, a former US air force base in the Netherlands.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
The country has repeatedly appealed to its allies for additional support as Russia steps up its strikes -- firing a record number of missiles in July, according to AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
After serving in the air force during the Korean War, he entered the field of advertising, where he won many awards for the radio and television ads he created.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.