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.
In December, the German parliament voted to introduce voluntary military service, meaning that from January all 18-year-olds would be sent a questionnaire asking if they were interested in joining the armed forces.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
Claim: “In these past four weeks, our armed forces have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield, victories like few people have ever seen before.”
From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026
"What we want to do is to strengthen Europe's defence within the Atlantic alliance," French armed forces minister Alice Rufo said.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
A well-regarded battalion commander in Yemen’s armed forces, Ashaal, then 42, worked a sideline in real estate with a partner.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
The name the armed forces gave to that sickness of the mind and spirit was “battle fatigue.”
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.
