armies

noun

plural of army
1
as in battalions
a large body of men and women organized for land warfare In 218 b.c., Hannibal crossed the Alps with an army of 26,000 men and, most famously, a number of elephants

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in swarms
a great number of persons or creatures massed together a vast army of loyal fans in line for the band's farewell concert

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in teams
a group of people working together on a task an army of rescue workers descended on the tornado-stricken town

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 armies Big Ridley commands armies of extras, builds enormous sets and deploys cutting-edge visual effects to create places that no longer exist — or never did. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 And because intelligence exists in isolated fragments across different systems, companies end up deploying armies of employees whose primary, manual job is just interpretation. — Filip Popovic, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Both sides, weakened by adverse conditions, had armies of nearly equal strength. — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 The inferno that follows, as the betrayer’s dragon sets fire to both armies and then Tumbleton itself, will be rendered with both practical flames and CGI. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026 Flying over the battle, Ulf directs Silverwing's fire on both armies seemingly indiscriminately. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 Stitch together creatures to build an army of land, sea and sky monsters and compete with your family to defeat the dangerous armies of incoming babies. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026 Over the centuries, the church has been dismantled and reassembled several times, while managing to survive invading armies and the Bolshevik Revolution. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Sauron’s armies have marched across the whole of the world, conquering all in their path. — ArsTechnica, 25 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for armies
  1. battalions
  2. swarms
  3. teams
  4. legions
  5. hordes
  6. platoons
  7. troops
  8. throngs
Noun
  • Originally constructed in the 1860s to house two battalions of the British Army, Chelsea Barracks served as an important military base for more than 140 years before being decommissioned in 2008.
    — Nick Scott, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The Israeli army built another five battalions of soldiers who were never engaged in service or finished their service and wish to return to duty.
    — Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of battalions
Noun
  • The dearth of Patriot interceptors in Europe would leave few alternatives for shooting down Russia’s more advanced ballistic missiles, which can be combined with swarms of inexpensive drones to overwhelm defenses, experts say.
    — Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The researchers envision eventually deploying swarms of specialized cyborg insects rather than relying on a single multifunctional machine.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of swarms
Noun
  • There remain a lot of games on that schedule against teams with far more talent.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The decision to leave off Camden Brown comes down to who can actually contribute on special teams.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of teams
Noun
  • So to Dolly, from that 6-year-old Kentucky boy attending his first concert, and your legions of fans in every corner of the world, a heartfelt thank you for the music and a lifetime of memories.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • That Swift would be among the legions of fans listening in on Bridgers’ latest work isn’t surprising.
    — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of legions
Noun
  • Chino Hills State Park is almost never crowded, except during a spring super bloom, when the hillsides erupt in California poppies and hordes of would-be influencers arrive to take photos for Instagram.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Since it was designated the first national recreation area in 1964, hordes of visitors have cut Lake Mead’s glassy surface with jet skis and boats, carelessly dropping belongings that may now wash up on shore.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of hordes
Noun
  • The Phillies will run outfield platoons in left and center for the remainder of the season.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Multiple schools across three states will soon have their own veritable platoons of pepper-spraying drones to hunt down active shooters, The Washington Post reports, waiting to spring into action the moment they’re called on.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 30 July 2026
Definition of platoons
Noun
  • Gerasimov also claimed Russian troops had overcome the first defensive line of the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk fortified region in certain areas and that operations were currently advancing along a 160-kilometer front.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Some of those attacks have killed and wounded American troops.
    — Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of troops
Noun
  • Why then, are throngs of armchair analysts online pointing fingers at her ex-husband, Patrick, blaming him for the deaths?
    — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The new 47-key Orient Express Venezia is an experience, housed within Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in the oldest and northernmost Cannaregio district, drawing high-end travelers away from the throngs.
    — Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of throngs

Browse Nearby Words

armholes
armies
arming
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Cite this Entry

“Armies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/armies. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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