Meaning & use
standing army
A permanent, professional army maintained even in peacetime, rather than one raised only for war.
See it in a sentence
The founders debated whether a standing army posed a threat to the young republic's liberty.
Most modern nations keep a standing army ready to respond to any crisis.
A note on using this word
Standing army contrasts with a militia or conscripted force, which is assembled only when needed.
Words with a similar meaning
permanent army
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “standing army”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.