conscription
Americannoun
-
compulsory enrollment of persons for military or naval service; draft.
-
a compulsory contribution of money to a government during a time of war.
noun
Other Word Forms
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.”
Vocabulary lists containing conscription
The American Civil War
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Liberty, Equality, Vocabulary: The French Revolution
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World War I
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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.
But it was an early work in progress and overhauling conscription was still on his to-do list when he was sacked.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
"We interviewed young adults who have left their families behind" to escape conscription, she said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
"Military forced conscription became the main challenging factor for us on the battlefield as it enabled the military with limitless manpower," he explains as he takes his men on patrol in the sweltering heat.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
Chief Justice Roger Taney even drafted an opinion concluding that conscription exceeded Congress’ powers, but no case ever made its way to the U.S.
From Slate ● Apr. 15, 2026
On one page she saw a list of headings: exchange controls, rationing, the mass evacuation of large towns, the conscription of labor.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
