conscription

American  

[kuhn-skrip-shuhn] / kənˈskrɪp ʃən /

noun

1. compulsory enrollment of persons for military or naval service; draft.

2. a compulsory contribution of money to a government during a time of war.

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conscription British  

/ kənˈskrɪpʃən /

noun

1. compulsory military service

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Other Word Forms

• anticonscription noun
• conscriptional adjective
• nonconscription noun
• proconscription adjective

Etymology

Origin of conscription

First recorded in 1350–1400 for earlier sense “piece of writing”; 1795–1805 for current senses; Middle English conscripcioun, from Latin conscrīptiōn-, stem of conscrīptiō “composition, written record, levy of troops,” equivalent to conscript + -ion

Explanation

When a military needs people to fight in a war, but there aren’t enough volunteers, sometimes they'll begin conscription, which is a law that says if you are able to fight, you have to fight. Also called the draft, conscription legally requires people to join the army, with penalties if they don’t. During the Vietnam War, many U.S. citizens protested conscription by burning their draft documents or fleeing to Canada, and some faced prison time because of these actions. The Latin roots of conscription translate to “write down together,” which is a much nicer way of saying “Go to war or go to jail.”

Example Sentences

Participants were included only if their weight had been measured at least three times, such as during early pregnancy, military conscription, or participation in research studies.

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026

The law that came into force in January brings back conscription in principle, though it will be implemented only if not enough people sign up for the army voluntarily.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Eritrea is sometimes called Africa’s version of North Korea because of its mandatory conscription and lack of civil society.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Boiko, 23 years old and below the age for conscription, said he often felt depressed in Kyiv because of the blackouts and blamed himself for not wanting to socialize with friends.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

I think he was well inclined toward stubbornness, and contemptuous of failure, long before his conscription into the war and the strange circumstances that discharged him from it.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• enrollment
• induction