warship
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of warship
Explanation
A warship is a military sea vessel that's usually armed with weapons. A country's navy uses warships in battles or to transport troops. A battleship is one specific kind of warship, a very large one that's outfitted with weapons and heavily defended against attack. All warships are prepared for war (which is where they get their name), and most of them are controlled by the naval forces of a nation. Many countries move their warships into particular regions to exert political force on adversaries, or send them to protect civilian or cargo ships from pirate attacks.
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 Pitcairn Islands has a population of about 50 people and most of the residents are descendants of mutineers from the Royal Navy warship HMS Bounty who settled there in 1790.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
Former Royal Navy warship commander Tom Sharpe told BBC Verify it was "utterly confusing" and "pathetic" that no boardings had been carried out.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
On Thursday, the North Korean leader, clad in his signature black leather jacket, inspected his country’s first nuclear-capable warship as it navigated off North Korea’s west coast.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
A second warship of the same class capsized during its launch last May.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
For the next meeting, André, dressed in the uniform of a British officer, was to arrive via a British warship, the Vulture.
From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen
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.
