civil defense

noun

: the system of protective measures and emergency relief activities conducted by civilians in case of hostile attack, sabotage, or natural disaster

Examples of civil defense in a Sentence

She's in training to be part of the local civil defense. the head of civil defense
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And in 1956 the Federal-Aid Highway Act funded 41,000 miles of interstate—an asphalt backbone justified as civil defense infrastructure but experienced as a coast-to-coast permission slip for self-reinvention. Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 22 June 2025 Iraq has witnessed similar deadly incidents in the past, often attributed to a lack of adherence to civil defense regulations, and poor safety measures and electrical short circuits. Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 17 July 2025 In her renowned 2003 memoir, Reading Lolita in Tehran, Azar Nafisi recalled how Tehran lacked public bomb shelters and adequate civil defense during that time. Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025 Syria’s civil defense, popularly known as the White Helmets, said emergency teams were working to transfer the bodies to hospitals and secure the area. Eyad Kourdi, CNN Money, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for civil defense

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of civil defense was in 1939

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Civil defense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20defense. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

civil defense

noun
: protective actions and emergency relief activities carried on by civilians in case of enemy attack or natural disaster

More from Merriam-Webster on civil defense

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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