Phrase guide

war machine

noun · 3 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.

UK: /ˈwɔː məˌʃiːn/
UK: /ˈwɔːɹ məˌʃiːn/
US: /ˈwoɹ məˌʃin/

noun

Meaning 1

An individual weapon for war, especially a mechanical one such as a siege engine or tank.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

noun

Meaning 2

The military resources of a belligerent country considered as a whole.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

The German war machine was more powerful than that of the allies at the start of the war.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: military-industrial complex

Antonyms: none provided

noun

Meaning 3

the military forces of a nation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

their military is the largest in the region
the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: military, armed forces, armed services, military machine

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: force, personnel

Narrower terms: military reserve, reserve

History

Etymology

From war + machine.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

Finnish: sotakone — weapon
Georgian: საბრძოლო აპარატი (sabrʒolo aṗaraṭi) — weapon
Georgian: საბრძოლო მანქანა (sabrʒolo mankana) — weapon
German: Kriegsmaschine — weapon
German: Kampfmaschine — weapon
Russian: боева́я маши́на (bojevája mašína) — weapon
Swedish: krigsmaskin — weapon
Danish: krigsmaskine — resources
Danish: krigsmaskineri — resources
Finnish: sotakone — resources
Finnish: sotakoneisto — resources
French: machine de guerre — resources
German: Kriegsmaschinerie — resources
Irish: gluaiseacht chogaíochta — resources
Norwegian Bokmål: krigsmaskin — resources
Norwegian Nynorsk: krigsmaskin — resources
Polish: zasoby wojenne — resources
Swedish: krigsmaskineri — resources

Word forms

Inflections and variants

war machines — plural

Word family

Derived and related words

Derived: none provided

Related: armed, unarmed, armored, armoured, unarmored, unarmoured, operational, nonoperational, inactive, regular, absence without leave, unauthorized absence, pullback, retreat, standdown, stand-down, disengagement, fallback, pullout, amphibious landing, gun, deactivation, inactivation, countermarch, flyover, fly-by, flypast, sortie, troop movement, war game, militainment, demonstration, national service, fatigue duty, fatigue, air cover, military censorship, umbrella, logistic assessment, drill, manual of arms, manual, military training, basic training, military drill, close-order drill, square-bashing, military action, action, battle, conflict, fight, engagement, blockade, encirclement, defense, defence, defensive measure, electronic warfare, EW, operation, military operation, combined operation, police action, resistance, maneuver, manoeuvre, simulated military operation, combat, armed combat, campaign, military campaign, expedition, military expedition, hostile expedition, mission, military mission, sally, support, reinforcement, reenforcement, attack, onslaught, onset, onrush, war, warfare, assault, blitz, blitzkrieg, infiltration, peacekeeping, peacekeeping mission, peacekeeping operation, amphibious operation, psychological operation, psyop, muster call, military ceremony, siege, besieging, beleaguering, military blockade, nuclear deterrence, countermine, occupation, military control, conscription, muster, draft, selective service, court-martial, logistic support, logistic assistance, inter-service support, air base, air station, armament, armored car, armoured car, armored personnel carrier, armoured personnel carrier, APC, arsenal, armory, armoury, assault rifle, assault gun, attack submarine, B-52, barrack, base, base of operations, battle dress, billet, bomber, boot camp, caisson, camp, encampment, cantonment, bivouac, command post, general headquarters, GHQ, commissary, dressing station, aid station, dress uniform, emplacement, fatigues, field hospital, fighter, fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, fire control radar, fire control system, full-dress uniform, garrison, fort, gas shell, guardhouse, gun room, half track, hardware, headquarters, HQ, military headquarters, hospital train, hut, army hut, field hut, hutment, latrine, materiel, equipage, mess, mess hall, military hospital, military installation, military post, post, military quarters, military uniform, military vehicle, minute gun, naval installation, shore station, navy yard, naval shipyard, olive drab, olive-drab uniform, outpost, personnel carrier, picket, platform, weapons platform, quartering, reconnaissance plane, reconnaissance vehicle, scout car, redoubt, regimentals, rocket base, silo, smoke screen, smokescreen, sniper rifle, precision rifle, tank, army tank, armored combat vehicle, armoured combat vehicle, transport ship, troop carrier, troop transport, wardroom, warplane, military plane, warship, war vessel, combat ship, weapon of mass destruction, WMD, W.M.D., weapons carrier, sea power, attention, military capability, military strength, strength, military posture, posture, firepower, generalship, military science, tactics, strategy, commission, military commission, muster roll, salute, military greeting, military intelligence, pass, liberty chit, taps, lights-out, reveille, wake-up signal, drumbeat, tattoo, insignia of rank, order, call up, briefing, strategic warning, tactical warning, warning of attack, warning of war, chevron, stripe, stripes, grade insignia, damage, equipment casualty, battle damage, combat casualty, operational damage, operational casualty, casualty, wound, injury, combat injury, personnel casualty, loss, collateral damage, trip wire, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Chiefs, command, task force, army unit, army, regular army, ground forces, naval unit, navy, naval forces, coastguard, Marines, air unit, air force, airforce, armor, armour, military service, armed service, service, military unit, military force, military group, force, military reserve, reserve, Pentagon, military police, MP, shore patrol, company, platoon, rearguard, wing, echelon, phalanx, military academy, naval academy, air force academy, drumhead court-martial, military court, provost court, Defense Intelligence Agency, DIA, artillery, artillery unit, musketry, battery, cavalry, horse cavalry, mechanized cavalry, infantry, foot, paratroops, militia, reserves, home guard, territorial, territorial reserve, National Guard, home reserve, standing army, United States Army, US Army, U. S. Army, USA, United States Army Rangers, United States Military Academy, US Military Academy, Army Intelligence, AI, Army National Guard, ARNG, military personnel, soldiery, troops, friendly, hostile, horse, rank and file, rank, commando, contingent, detail, general staff, headquarters staff, high command, supreme headquarters, spearhead, firing squad, firing party, military formation, open order, close order, extended order, sick call, sick parade, column, chow line, aviation, air power, martial law, military law, center, flank, head, rear, minefield, field, field of operations, theater, theater of operations, theatre, theatre of operations, line, line of battle, salient, battle line, military position, position, staging area, sector, combat zone, combat area, war zone, drop zone, dropping zone, West Point, ensign, adjutant, aide, aide-de-camp, air attache, army attache, army engineer, military engineer, army officer, bandsman, brass hat, cadet, plebe, captain, skipper, chief of staff, chief petty officer, colonel, color bearer, standard-bearer, combat pilot, commander, commanding officer, commandant, ranger, commissioned officer, commissioned military officer, commissioned naval officer, commodore, defense contractor, deserter, defector, desk officer, draftee, conscript, inductee, drill master, drill instructor, enemy, foe, foeman, opposition, executive officer, field marshal, field-grade officer, field officer, FO, fighter pilot, flag officer, flanker, general, full general, general officer, inspector general, judge advocate, judge advocate general, lieutenant, lieutenant colonel, light colonel, lieutenant commander, lieutenant general, lieutenant junior grade, lieutenant JG, major, major-general, Marine, devil dog, leatherneck, shipboard soldier, marine engineer, naval engineer, marshal, marshall, midshipman, military adviser, military advisor, military chaplain, padre, Holy Joe, sky pilot, military leader, military officer, officer, military policeman, naval attache, naval commander, naval officer, Navy SEAL, SEAL, noncommissioned officer, noncom, enlisted officer, occupier, peacekeeper, provost marshal, reservist, sapper, Section Eight, serviceman, military man, man, slacker, shirker, sprog, spy, undercover agent, staff officer, striker, subaltern, volunteer, military volunteer, voluntary, warrant officer, weekend warrior, foreign aid, issue, military issue, government issue, readiness, preparedness, preparation, military rank, military rating, paygrade, rating, flag rank, spit and polish, compassionate leave, field day, break, detach, quarter, canton

Semantic map

Other relationships

Hypernyms: force, personnel

Hyponyms: military reserve, reserve

Meronyms: cadre, medical officer, medic

Sources

Where this information comes from

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