standing army

American

noun

a permanently organized military force maintained by a nation.

standing army British

noun

a permanent army of paid soldiers maintained by a nation

"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

Etymology

Origin of standing army

First recorded in 1595–1605

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.

The Founders worried that the U.S. could be undermined by a powerful standing army.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

The opportunities for repression are boundless, which is one reason why the Framers were so hostile to the idea of a standing army responsible for domestic security.

From Slate • Oct. 21, 2025

After chairing an emergency Cobra meeting of ministers and senior police chiefs, Sir Keir announced a "standing army" of specialist officers to tackle the disorder.

From BBC • Aug. 6, 2024

Haiti hasn’t had a standing army or a well-funded and robust national police force for decades.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 9, 2024

Bloom had no idea whether Russia even had a standing army, let alone how many soldiers it might include and how many square feet they would cover.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023