Phrase guide

special forces

noun · 2 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

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Elite military forces engaged in special operations such as guerrilla warfare or counterterrorism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural, plural-only

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a division of the United States Army that is specially trained for guerilla fighting

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: U. S. Army Special Forces, United States Army Special Forces

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: division

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: сі́лы спецыя́льнага прызначэ́ння (síly spjecyjálʹnaha pryznačénnja) — elite force
  • Bulgarian: специални части (specialni časti) — elite force
  • Bulgarian: сили за специални операции (sili za specialni operacii) — elite force
  • Chinese Mandarin: 特種部隊 /特种部队 (tèzhǒng bùduì) — elite force
  • Dutch: speciale eenheid — elite force
  • Estonian: eriväed — elite force
  • Estonian: eriüksus — elite force
  • Finnish: erikoisjoukko — elite force
  • Georgian: სპეცრაზმი (sṗecrazmi) — elite force
  • Georgian: სპეციალური დანიშნულების რაზმი (sṗecialuri danišnulebis razmi) — elite force
  • Georgian: სპეციალური დანიშნულების ბატალიონი (sṗecialuri danišnulebis baṭalioni) — elite force
  • Georgian: სპეციალური დანიშნულების საჯარისო დანაყოფი (sṗecialuri danišnulebis saǯariso danaq̇opi) — elite force
  • German: Sondereinheit — elite force
  • German: Spezialeinheit — elite force
  • Japanese: 特殊部隊 (tokushu butai) — elite force
  • Korean: 특수부대 (teuksubudae) — elite force
  • Polish: siły specjalne — elite force
  • Romanian: forțe speciale — elite force
  • Russian: си́лы осо́бого назначе́ния (síly osóbovo naznačénija) — elite force
  • Russian: си́лы специа́льного назначе́ния (síly speciálʹnovo naznačénija) — elite force
  • Ukrainian: си́ли спеціа́льного призна́чення (sýly speciálʹnoho pryznáčennja) — elite force