martial

adjective

ˈmär-shəl How to pronounce martial (audio)
Definition of martialnext
1
as in military
of, relating to, or suitable for war or a warrior the marching band played "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and several other martial airs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in naval
of or relating to the armed services one of the basic tenets of martial law

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of martial There was a lot in this movie as far as using bending to fight like other martial artist opponents and also using bending to fight natural disasters. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 25 July 2026 The Greco-Roman ideal of masculinity was anchored in martial valor. — Elizabeth Dray, STAT, 21 July 2026 The first sequence plays out with breathtaking suspense, the second with wrenching tragedy; the difference is calibrated by the composer Ludwig Göransson, whose score pulses with mournful dissonance and martial fury. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026 Tyler married former Olympic martial artist Robert Sullivan in 1973. — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for martial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for martial
  1. military
  2. naval
  3. service
Adjective
  • Simply put, acknowledging the reality—even if the administration won’t state it in these terms—of avoiding a further, major military campaign as the conflict drags on.
    — Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The sharpest criticism of the deal came from Venezuelan opposition figures, who argue that a caretaker administration installed after a foreign military operation has no standing to sign away a century of oil rights.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of military
Adjective
  • All six ships appear to have been located off Qingdao naval base, the headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Northern Theatre Command navy.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The Stradale managed to recover three of the five crew members before the Maranello sank, the French naval prefecture for the Atlantic said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of naval
Adjective
  • Imperiale said the Endowment remains focused specifically on Veteran employment and that its storytelling emphasizes post-service careers, leadership and community contribution rather than military recruitment.
    — Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • Centro Cocina Mexicana, Terminal A This counter-service version of Centro Cocina Mexicana serves classic Mexican dishes, plus an all-day breakfast menu.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of service

Phrases Containing martial

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marten
martial
martial law
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Cite this Entry

“Martial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/martial. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on martial

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about martial

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