militarise

IPA/ˌriːˈmɪl.ɪ.tər.aɪz/
IPA/ˌriːˈmɪl.ə.tə.raɪz/

militarise — verb

  • militarisepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • militarises3rd person singular
  • militarising-ing form
  • militarisedpast simple

1. to return armed forces to a territory they had previously left, putting it back

1.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to return armed forces to a territory they had previously left, putting it back under military control

Example

Dimitri warned the Security Council that the government planned to militarise the border region within weeks.

militarise + territory

After peace talks collapsed, General Okonkwo moved to militarise the northern province.

Common collocations
  • militarise a region
  • militarise a zone
  • militarise a border
  • militarise an island
  • militarise a province
Synonyms
  • arm

    more general; can apply to individuals or groups receiving weapons, not specifically a territory

  • fortify

    focuses on building defensive structures rather than stationing troops

  • garrison

    specifically means to station troops for defence of a particular building or town

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

militarise + noun phrase (territory or region)

Usage Note

Object is typically a territory, region, zone, or island. Common in political and diplomatic contexts, often with negative implications.

Common Mistakes

The army decided to militarise the neighbouring country.
The army decided to invade the neighbouring country.
'militarise' means re-establishing a military presence in an area you already control or claim; it is not the same as invading or attacking.

2. to arm a civilian police force with military weapons and tactics, transforming i

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to arm a civilian police force with military weapons and tactics, transforming it into something closer to an army

Example

The mayor's plan to militarise the city police drew sharp criticism from local residents.

militarise + police force

At the community hearing, Amara argued that militarising law enforcement made her neighbourhood less safe, not more.

Common collocations
  • militarise the police
  • militarise law enforcement
  • militarise a police force
  • militarise the border patrol
Synonyms
  • weaponise

    broader; can apply to anything turned into a weapon (e.g. information, technology), not specific to police

  • harden

    focuses on making an organisation more aggressive or tough, but not necessarily with military equipment

Antonyms
  • demilitarise

    to remove military-style weapons and methods from a police force

Grammar Patterns

militarise + noun phrase (police or law enforcement)

Usage Note

Object is typically a police force, law-enforcement agency, or similar civilian authority. Frequently used in debates about policing reform and carries a critical tone.

Common Mistakes

The government decided to militarise the protesters.
The government decided to use military force against the protesters.
'militarise' applies to institutions (police, agencies), not to individuals or crowds.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

When you militarise a region, you re-establish a sustained military presence there — it is about troops returning to a place from which they had been withdrawn. Arm is much broader: you can arm a person, a group, or even a drone, without any territorial dimension. Fortify emphasises building walls, bunkers, and other defensive structures rather than stationing soldiers. Garrison specifically means assigning troops to guard a particular base or town on an ongoing basis. Deploy is about the act of sending forces somewhere, but it is temporary and operational — soldiers deploy for a mission; they militarise when the presence becomes permanent. For example, you might say 'The government fortified the coastal defences' when concrete barriers went up, but 'The government militarised the island' when it stationed a battalion there indefinitely.

arm ↗fortify ↗garrison ↗deploy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • decision to militarise
  • plan to militarise
  • attempt to militarise
  • move to militarise

Adverbs

  • heavily militarise
  • increasingly militarise
  • fully militarise

Phrases

  • pressure to militarise
  • effort to militarise

Prepositions

  • militarise with

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English during the mid-19th century from the noun military plus the verb-forming suffix -ise. Military itself came through French militaire from Latin militaris, which derives from miles (meaning 'soldier'). The verb originally meant 'to make military in character' and later developed the more specific senses of returning troops to a region and equipping police with army-style weapons. The American spelling is militarize.