National Guard

American  

noun

1. state military forces, in part equipped, trained, and quartered by the U.S. government, and paid by the U.S. government, that become an active component of the army when called into federal service by the president in civil emergencies.

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National Guard British  

noun

1. (sometimes not capitals) the armed force, first commanded by Lafayette, that was established in France in 1789 and existed intermittently until 1871

2. (in the US) a state military force that can be called into federal service by the president

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National Guard Cultural  

1. The volunteer military forces of each state, which the governor of a state can summon in times of civil disorder or natural disaster. Through congressional and presidential order, the National Guard can be called into service in the regular United States army.

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Example Sentences

National Guard soldiers replaced celebrities and politicians at the red carpet entrance.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026

Guest: Adam Kinzinger, former Republican Congressman for Illinois’s 11th and 16th districts, Jan 6 Committee member, former lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2026

Over the weekend in Nebraska, roughly 30 National Guard troops were deployed to combat multiple wildfires, the state's emergency management agency said.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

The former Fox News personality, who served as an Army National Guard infantry officer in Iraq and Afghanistan, disdains rules of engagement and other guardrails as constraining to the “warrior ethos.”

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026

Yet here were statements by “Professors, National Guard Officers, Scientists and the Secretary of the Interior.”

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow