verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈmɪ.lɪ.tə.ɹaɪz/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:M IH1 L AH0 T ER0 AY2 Z
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To give a military character to something, such as government or organization.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To train or equip for war.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To adopt for use by the military.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
adopt for military use
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
militarize the Civil Service
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: militarise
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change, alter, modify
5
verb
Meaning 5
lend a military character to (a country), as by building up a military force
Etymology tree English military Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English militarize From military + -ize.
Across languages
Translations
42 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Belarusian:
мілітарызава́ць
(militaryzavácʹ)
— to give military character to
Bulgarian:
милитаризи́рам
(militarizíram)
— to give military character to
Chinese Mandarin:
軍事化 /军事化
(jūnshìhuà)
— to give military character to
Finnish:
militarisoida
— to give military character to
French:
militariser
— to give military character to
German:
militarisieren
— to give military character to
Hungarian:
militarizál
— to give military character to
Hungarian:
katonásít
— to give military character to
Japanese:
軍事化する
(gunjika suru)
— to give military character to
Korean:
군사화하다
(gunsahwahada)
— to give military character to
Macedonian:
милитаризи́ра
(militarizíra)
— to give military character to
Polish:
militaryzować
— to give military character to
Russian:
милитаризи́ровать
(militarizírovatʹ)
— to give military character to
Russian:
милитаризова́ть
(militarizovátʹ)
— to give military character to
Russian:
военизи́ровать
(vojenizírovatʹ)
— to give military character to
Spanish:
militarizar
— to give military character to
Swedish:
militarisera
— to give military character to
Ukrainian:
мілітаризува́ти
(militaryzuváty)
— to give military character to
Belarusian:
мілітарызаваць
(militaryzavacʹ)
— to train or equip for war
Catalan:
militaritzar
— to train or equip for war
Chinese Mandarin:
軍事化 /军事化
(jūnshìhuà)
— to train or equip for war
Esperanto:
pormilitigi
— to train or equip for war
Finnish:
harjoittaa sotaan
— to train or equip for war
Finnish:
varustaa sotaan
— to train or equip for war
French:
militariser
— to train or equip for war
Galician:
militarizar
— to train or equip for war
German:
militarisieren
— to train or equip for war
Hungarian:
felfegyverez
— to train or equip for war
Hungarian:
kiképez
— to train or equip for war
Italian:
militarizzare
— to train or equip for war
Japanese:
軍事化する
(gunjika suru)
— to train or equip for war
Polish:
zbroić
— to train or equip for war
Romanian:
militariza
— to train or equip for war
Russian:
милитаризи́ровать
(militarizírovatʹ)
— to train or equip for war
Russian:
милитаризова́ть
(militarizovátʹ)
— to train or equip for war
Russian:
военизи́ровать
(vojenizírovatʹ)
— to train or equip for war
Spanish:
militarizar
— to train or equip for war
Ukrainian:
мілітаризувати
(militaryzuvaty)
— to train or equip for war
Chinese Mandarin:
軍事化 /军事化
(jūnshìhuà)
— adopt for use by the military
Finnish:
ottaa sotilaskäyttöön
— adopt for use by the military
Hungarian:
militarizál
— adopt for use by the military
Hungarian:
katonásít
— adopt for use by the military