soldierly

American

[sohl-jer-lee] / ˈsoʊl dʒər li /

adjective

of, like, or befitting a soldier.

soldierly British

/ ˈsəʊldʒəlɪ /

adjective

of or befitting a good soldier

"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

Other Word Forms

soldierliness

noun

Etymology

Origin of soldierly

First recorded in 1570–80; soldier + -ly

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.

See Examples For:

soldierly

Mr. Stephens does a superb job of following these complex campaigns, giving full scope to Marcus’ soldierly side.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 11, 2026

But last Thursday, Ellenz was positively giddy as five Guard members zipped around the kitchen with soldierly purpose and precision.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2021

While Akhundzada hailed from the large and powerful Noorzai tribe, his stock within the regime was seen as more scholarly than soldierly, unlike previous leaders.

From Reuters ● Sep. 7, 2021

The party is organized with a soldierly hierarchy in which the commanding officer is Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi.

From New York Times ● Nov. 14, 2020

Some carried themselves with a sort of wistful resignation, others with pride or stiff soldierly discipline or good humor or macho zeal.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

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