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  • Air Force
    Air Force
    noun
    the U.S. department consisting of practically all military aviation forces, established July 26, 1947.
  • air force
    air force
Synonyms

Air Force

American  

noun

  1. the U.S. department consisting of practically all military aviation forces, established July 26, 1947.

  2. air force, a similar department in any military organization.

  3. air force, (formerly) the largest unit in the U.S. Army Air Forces.

  4. air force, a unit of U.S. Air Force command between an air division and an air command.

  5. Sometimes air force the military unit of a nation charged with carrying out military operations in the air.

  6. British. Royal Air Force.


air force British  

noun

    1. the branch of a nation's armed services primarily responsible for air warfare

    2. ( as modifier )

      an air-force base

  1. a formation in the US and certain other air forces larger than an air division but smaller than an air command

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

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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