English Reference

Word

militarily

Phoneticsmil·i·tar·i·ly

US/ˌmɪɫəˈtɛɹəɫi/

UK/mˌɪlɪtˈɛɹəli/

Definition

adv. in a way that relates to the army or military forces. You use this to describe how a country or group handles war or defense.

adv. in a manner relating to the armed forces or the conduct of war.

Examples

“The country is strong militarily but weak economically.”

“While the nation was militarily dominant in the region for decades, its recent political instability has significantly weakened its ability to project power abroad.”

Examples

simple

“The country is strong militarily but weak economically.”

complex

“While the nation was militarily dominant in the region for decades, its recent political instability has significantly weakened its ability to project power abroad.”

Real-World Examples

“Donald Trump repeated claims that Iran is weakened economically and militarily and ‘would love’ to make a deal.”
Al Jazeera · 21 Aug 2026
“It potentially also leaves the door open to further demands by North Korea at a time when the country appears stronger militarily.”
BBC News · 20 Aug 2026

Etymology

From military + -ly.

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

Word family

militarilyAdverbmilitarismNounmilitaryNoun

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/militarily

English Reference