peacetime

American  

[pees-tahym] / ˈpisˌtaɪm /

noun

1. a time or period of peace.

   a large navy even in peacetime.

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adjective

1. of or for such a period.

   peacetime uses of atomic energy.

peacetime British  

/ ˈpiːsˌtaɪm /

noun

1. 1. a period without war; time of peace

   2. ( as modifier )

      a peacetime agreement

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Etymology

Origin of peacetime

First recorded in 1545–55; peace + time

Explanation

If a country isn't involved in any wars for a certain length of time, that period is called peacetime. During peacetime, a government may cut back on their military budget and focus on education for a change. After the battles of World War II that raged across Europe, the period that followed was considered an era of peacetime for both Western Europe and the United States. The country that's enjoying the longest current stretch of peacetime is Sweden, which hasn't been involved in a war for over two hundred years. Peacetime in Japan during the Edo period started in 1603 and lasted 250 years.

Example Sentences

There had never before been, in peacetime, a significant inflationary episode in America before Martin took over at the central bank—though he, for one, would not rest on that hopeful precedent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

“Complacency in peacetime can lead to war,” Mr. Sankar writes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

A fifth of the world's oil and vast quantities of natural gas and fertiliser pass through the strait in peacetime, but only a small number of vessels have crossed since the truce was announced.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

It would be hard enough to work through them in peacetime.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

In peacetime, however, in a well-staffed, well-stocked American emergency room, triage isn’t about withholding care from anyone; rather, it’s identifying the patients in the gravest danger and treating them first.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French