militarize
Americanverb (used with object)
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to equip with armed forces, military supplies, or the like.
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to make military.
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to imbue with militarism.
verb
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to convert to military use
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to imbue with militarism
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of militarize
First recorded in 1875–80; militar(y) + -ize
Explanation
To make something (or someone) more heavily armed with weapons, especially in preparation for battle, is to militarize it. If a country militarizes, it's preparing for war or violent conflict. A nation that is militarizing might assemble and train various armed forces (like the Army and the Navy), ready tanks to defend an area, or send ships to sail into battle. When you militarize a police force, it starts to look more like an army. And if a company militarizes its personal security force, that may mean arming guards with guns and dressing them in bulletproof vests. The verb militarize comes from military and its Latin root miles, "soldier."
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.
Offering them benefits and talks has had a perverse effect, Jaramillo said, prompting them to militarize to negotiate from a position of strength.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
We should also be wary of governments pushing to militarize AI.
From Scientific American • Jul. 27, 2023
“We’re not trying to militarize the church,” Marsh said.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 17, 2022
“There’s no reason to militarize the situation,” said Gavan of the coast guard.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 29, 2021
You can make a soldier, and a good soldier, of a humorist; but you cannot militarize him.
From England and the War by Raleigh, Walter Alexander, Sir
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.
