air force

noun

1
: the military organization of a nation for air warfare
2
: a unit of the U.S. Air Force higher than a division and lower than a command

Examples of air force in a Sentence

the combined allied air forces
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Hashemite Kingdom’s air force Monday evening carried out airstrikes in Syria in retaliation for last week’s attacks on a funeral at a Greek Orthodox Church in the southern Jordanian city of Karak that killed nine people. — Ghaith Alsayed, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026 The air force said that 119 drones were shot down or otherwise suppressed, with impacts reported in 15 locations. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 Ukraine received no warning from its partners ahead of the first wave of attacks, and information about a second wave arrived too late for air raid sirens to be activated in time, air force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on national television. — Samya Kullab, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026 After his discharge from the air force, Cormac McCarthy had hitchhiked around the country for a few months. — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for air force

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of air force was in 1911

Browse Nearby Words

airfoil
air force
air force blue
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Air force.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/air%20force. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

air force

noun
: the military organization of a nation for air warfare

More from Merriam-Webster on air force

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about air force

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