conscripted

American  

[kuhn-skrip-tid] / kənˈskrɪp tɪd /

adjective

1. drafted for military or naval service.

   There was some discussion about which was better, an all-volunteer army or a conscripted army.

2. pressed or compelled into service.

   Finally, I wish to acknowledge the hurriedly conscripted actors who worked hard under time pressure to make the play a success.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of conscript.

Etymology

Origin of conscripted

First recorded in 1800–10; conscript ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; conscript ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

A full-size replica of a Spanish galleon stares out into Manila Bay, the centrepiece of a museum that will transport visitors back to the 17th century, when conscripted Philippine mariners hastened the era of globalisation.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

"We are glad they are finally gone, because they ruled by fear," said 25-year-old Sonuram Gutta, who said he was conscripted into the insurgency, but was allowed to leave after a few years of fighting.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

With able-bodied German men conscripted to fight in the war, workers from the lands the Nazis occupied were drafted to meet the labor shortage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

It’s a more straightforward presentation that keeps audience members in their seats, except for a moment when uprising is in the air and a few theatergoers are conscripted to join the ecstatic rebellion.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

“Those outside who are being conscripted, they are God’s children too.”

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• compelled
• contrived
• enforced
• involuntary
• mandatory
• unwilling