militarize
verb
mil·i·ta·rize
ˈmi-lə-tə-ˌrīz 
militarized; militarizing
1
: to give a military character to
2
: to equip with military forces and defenses
3
: to adapt for military use
Examples of militarize in a Sentence
militarize a country's foreign policy
Recent Examples on the Web
The White House, of course, responded to this opposition and protest over the weekend in Los Angeles by sending National Guard troops to further militarize the implementation of the administration’s policies.
—
Edwin C. Yohnka, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025
Trump has attracted fierce criticism from Democrats, who have accused him of unlawfully militarizing Los Angeles to shut down the protests.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 10 June 2025
If militarizing our law enforcement to combat crime sounds dystopian and terrible, what will Dems do to keep violent criminals off the streets?
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2025
Beijing has gradually militarized the South China Sea, deploying the Chinese coast guard and maritime militia to harass U.S. allies’ vessels.
—David Santoro, Foreign Affairs, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for militarize
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.
Edwin C. Yohnka, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025
Trump has attracted fierce criticism from Democrats, who have accused him of unlawfully militarizing Los Angeles to shut down the protests.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 10 June 2025
If militarizing our law enforcement to combat crime sounds dystopian and terrible, what will Dems do to keep violent criminals off the streets?
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2025
Beijing has gradually militarized the South China Sea, deploying the Chinese coast guard and maritime militia to harass U.S. allies’ vessels.
—David Santoro, Foreign Affairs, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for militarize
Cite this Entry
“Militarize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/militarize. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
militarize
verb
mil·i·ta·rize
ˈmil-ə-tə-ˌrīz
militarized; militarizing
1
: to equip with military forces and defenses
2
: to give a military character to
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share