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

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has since announced a "standing army" of specialist police officers to tackle violent protests.

From BBC • Aug. 5, 2024

About the founders: Historians will tell you that when the Constitution was adopted, America had no significant standing army.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 2, 2023

This host her son had assembled was not a standing army such as the Free Cities were accustomed to maintain, nor a force of guardsmen paid in coin.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin