What does "army" mean?
A large, highly organized military force, concerned mainly with ground (rather than air or naval) operations.
Army
/ˈɑː.mi/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A large, highly organized military force, concerned mainly with ground (rather than air or naval) operations.
- Grammar: army is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: host, a mass of, a world of, armed force.
- Useful contrasts: civilian, individual, luftwaffe.
- Usage evidence: With the heirless king going crazy and royal family poisoned, the general of the army finally had his chance to usurp the throne.
How to use "army"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "army" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "army" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "army" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "army" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "army" is acting as name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "host" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "army", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A large, highly organized military force, concerned mainly with ground (rather than air or naval) operations.
"An army never can be commanded or controlled by civilians."
- 2 The fandom of the K-pop boy band BTS. slang, uncountable
"ARMY are clever, too: they urged fans not to buy J-Hope's mixtape Hope World on its release date, having worked out that delaying by a day would result in a higher ranking in the Billboard charts."
- 3 a large number of people united for some specific purpose wordnet
- 4 A large, highly organized military force, concerned mainly with ground (rather than air or naval) operations.; Used absolutely for that entire branch of the armed forces.
"The army received a bigger share of this year's budget increase than the navy or air force."
- 5 An individual fan of the K-pop boy band BTS. countable, slang
"Entering the theater, I expected the room to be filled with ARMYs decked out in their BTS merchandise."
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state wordnet
- 7 A large, highly organized military force, concerned mainly with ground (rather than air or naval) operations.; Within a vast military, a very large tactical contingent (e.g. a number of divisions). capitalized, often
"The Fourth Army suffered such losses that its remainders were merged into the Second Army, also deployed on the Western front."
- 8 the army of the United States of America; the agency that organizes and trains soldiers for land warfare wordnet
- 9 The governmental agency in charge of a state's army.
"The army opposed the legislature's involvement."
- 10 A large group of people working toward the same purpose. figuratively
"It took an army of accountants to uncover the fraud."
- 11 A large group of social animals working toward the same purpose. figuratively
"Our house is being attacked by an army of ants."
- 12 Any multitude. figuratively
"There was an army of construction cranes working on building the skyscraper."
- 13 The military as a whole.
"The People's Liberation Army Navy of China."
Proper Noun
- 1 A sports team representing the US Military Academy at West Point.
"Army has several returning starters this year."
- 2 Hexagram 7 of the I Ching (䷆)
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"With the heirless king going crazy and royal family poisoned, the general of the army finally had his chance to usurp the throne."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "army"?
Common synonyms include: host, a mass of, a world of, armed force, armed service, armies.
How do you use "army" in a sentence?
With the heirless king going crazy and royal family poisoned, the general of the army finally had his chance to usurp the throne.
How do you pronounce "army"?
Pronounced /ˈɑː.mi/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From (1386) Middle English armee, borrowed from Old French armee (cf. modern French armée), from Medieval Latin armāta (“armed force”), a noun taken from the past participle of Latin armāre (“to arm”), itself related to arma (“tools, arms”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- (“to join, fit together”). Doublet of armada. Displaced native Old English here and fierd.
Etymology 2
From an acronym/backronym based on army ("Adorable Representative for MC Youth"), suggesting a large, devoted fanbase.