English Reference
Noun

conscription

n.
C1 Advanced US /kənsˈkɹɪpʃən/ UK /kɒnskɹˈɪpʃən/ con·scrip·tion UK spelling conscriptions Military

n.the act of forcing people to join the army, usually by law. It is often used when a country needs more soldiers during a war.

n.the compulsory enlistment of people into a national service, typically by a government. Often used in the context of military service during times of conflict.


SIMPLE

The country ended conscription after the war ended.

CONTEXTUAL

During the early stages of the conflict, the government introduced conscription to fill the ranks of the armed forces.

COMPLEX

The debate over conscription often centers on the balance between national security needs and individual civil liberties, reflecting deep-seated societal values regarding personal freedom and collective duty.

Article 7 also required the TPLF to refrain from conscription, training, deployment and mobilisation of military forces, as well as preparations for renewed conflict.

Al Jazeera· 5 Sept 2026

From Middle French conscription, from Latin cōnscriptiō (“levying of troops”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin cōnscriptiō
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated