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merchant navy

British  

noun

  1. the ships or crew engaged in a nation's commercial shipping

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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The Iranian merchant navy is likewise visible off the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on the other side of the strait.

From Barron's Mar. 2, 2026

Seeking adventure beyond his native country, he joined the merchant navy after graduation.

From New York Times Sep. 19, 2022

He was raised by a foster family after his merchant navy sailor father died in a submarine attack in the North Atlantic.

From Seattle Times Aug. 24, 2022

On my dad's side, my grandfather was in the merchant navy.

From Salon Feb. 21, 2022

In 1901 the merchant navy included 228 steamers of 91,465 tons net, and 343 sailing vessels of 76,992 tons net.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various

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