ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sergeant

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsɑɹdʒənt// UK //sˈɑːdʒənt// sergeant Archaic

n. a person with a middle-level rank in the army or police. They are usually in charge of a small group of people.

n. a non-commissioned officer rank in the armed forces, typically above a corporal and below a staff sergeant. In police forces, it denotes a rank above a standard officer and below an inspector.


SIMPLE

The sergeant ordered the soldiers to stand at attention.

CONTEXTUAL

After five years of service in the local police department, she was promoted to the rank of sergeant.

COMPLEX

The drill sergeant maintained a rigorous training schedule, ensuring that every recruit met the physical and mental standards required for active duty deployment.

Synonyms
Usage

Often used as a title before a surname, in which case it is capitalized.

Pitfall

Sargent SmithSergeant SmithLearners often misspell the word based on its pronunciation; 'sergeant' is the correct spelling for the rank.

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