Definitions

standing army

NOUN

regular army

Synonyms

WEAK

active forces career soldiers permanent army professional army professional soldiers regulars

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.

Israel has a relatively small standing army and relies on its reservists during times of war.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

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

It appears that the country's leader Kim Jong Un has directed much of his limited resources into missiles and nuclear weapons rather than his standing army.

From BBC • Dec. 19, 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