ENGLISH
REFERENCE

troops

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtɹups// UK //tɹˈuːps// troops

n. a group of soldiers or people in the military. You often use this word when talking about many soldiers moving or working together in a specific area.

n. a collective body of soldiers or armed forces. Usually plural in form when referring to military personnel in general; functions as a collective noun that can take either a singular or plural verb depending on regional dialect.


SIMPLE

The government decided to send more troops to the border.

CONTEXTUAL

After months of diplomatic tension, the general ordered the troops to withdraw from the neutral zone.

COMPLEX

The rapid deployment of peacekeeping troops was intended to stabilize the region and provide a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian aid to displaced civilians.

Synonyms
Usage

Almost always used in the plural ('troops') when referring to soldiers. In the singular, it typically refers to a specific unit or group, such as a 'scout troop'.

Pitfall

The troop are arriving tomorrow.The troops are arriving tomorrow.When referring to soldiers in general, the plural form 'troops' is required.

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