# squad

/ˈskwɑd/ (US) · /skwˈɒd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/squad
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. military or police unit

noun · CEFR B1

a small group of soldiers or police officers who work together as a team.

For teachers: a small unit of people, typically in a military or police context, organised for a specific tactical purpose.

- The police sent a special squad to investigate the robbery at the bank.
- The infantry squad moved cautiously through the dense undergrowth, maintaining radio silence to avoid alerting nearby enemy patrols.

### 2. sports team

noun · CEFR B1

the group of players that make up a sports team.

For teachers: the collective group of athletes from which a team is selected for a specific match or competition.

- The manager announced the starting squad for the championship game on Saturday.
- Despite several injuries to key players, the national squad remains the favourite to win the upcoming international tournament.

### 3. friend group

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal · Slang

a close group of friends who spend a lot of time together.

For teachers: an informal social circle or close-knit group of friends. Often used to imply loyalty and shared identity.

- I am going to the cinema with the squad this weekend.
- She posted a photo of her squad at the beach, captioning it with a message about their decade-long friendship.

Teaching tip: While originally military, this sense became highly popular in social media culture to describe one's inner circle of friends.

### 4. political group

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Informal

a small, active group of people within a larger political party.

For teachers: a small, cohesive faction within a legislative body or political organisation that shares specific ideological goals.

- The new members of the squad are pushing for major changes in environmental law.
- The influence of the progressive squad within the party has grown significantly, leading to more robust debates over economic policy.

## Examples

- I am going to the cinema with the squad tonight.
- The local police department sent a specialized squad to investigate the series of break-ins downtown.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.