armed forces
Americanplural noun
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of armed forces
First recorded in 1685–95
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.
Space Force, the service of the armed forces that deals with this topic, has defined space control as efforts to “destroy, disrupt, or degrade” vital assets in outer space.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Ireland’s armed forces number around 7,750 personnel, below its goal of about 9,700.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
They signed a strategic roadmap on the acquisition of French military equipment as Iraq seeks to modernise its armed forces and strengthen its sovereignty capabilities.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
The armed forces are authorized to assist federal and state police in averting dangers posed by unmanned drones.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Others joined different branches of the armed forces.
From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac
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.
