Department of Defense

American  

noun

1. the department of the U.S. federal government charged with ensuring that the military capacity of the U.S. is adequate to safeguard the national security. DOD

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Department of Defense Cultural  

1. A department of the federal executive branch entrusted with formulating military policies and maintaining American military forces. Its top official is the civilian secretary of defense. It is headquartered in the Pentagon.

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Example Sentences

In late April, President Donald Trump requested a record-breaking $1.5 trillion defense budget, which, if approved, would mark the largest ever increase in Department of Defense funding.

From Salon • May 8, 2026

About 68,000 US troops are permanently stationed in Europe, according to figures from the US Department of Defense, with thousands of others deployed on a rotational basis, primarily in countries on NATO's eastern flank.

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

The Department of Defense didn’t say how much each company was being paid.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

The Department of Defense worked closely with the Justice Department and law-enforcement authorities like the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

They gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to listen to speeches, then many of them marched on the Pentagon, headquarters of the United States Department of Defense.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge