boot camp
noun
1
: a navy or marine corps camp for basic training
2
: a disciplinary facility or program in which young offenders are forced to participate in a rigidly structured routine
3
: a place or undertaking that resembles a military boot camp especially by requiring one to endure intensive training or initiation
Nowadays, the more talented players view their college years as necessary boot camp to prepare them for the riches waiting for them in pro football.—Anson Mount
These youngsters are put through what amounts to a boot camp of courses in music notation, basic harmony and ear-training.—Smithsonian
Cite this Entry
“Boot camp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boot%20camp. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.
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