expeditionary

adjective

ex·​pe·​di·​tion·​ary ˌek-spə-ˈdi-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce expeditionary (audio)
: of, relating to, or being an expedition
also : sent on military service abroad
an expeditionary force

Examples of expeditionary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 1492, Columbus and his expeditionary crew, comprising three ships, landed in the Bahamas as part of a voyage approved by the Spanish monarchy. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 Ship-to-shore transportation is a critical component of amphibious warfare and expeditionary operations. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026 That’s what makes bikepacking part cycling, part camping, and part foraging, as each rider must possess a substantial expeditionary intellect in order to make it through races. — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2026 The Quds Force is an expeditionary unit made up of the IRGC’s most elite fighters. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for expeditionary

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of expeditionary was in 1817

Rhymes for expeditionary

See All Rhymes for expeditionary

Browse Nearby Words

expedition
expeditionary
expeditioner
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Expeditionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expeditionary. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

expeditionary

adjective
ex·​pe·​di·​tion·​ary ek-spə-ˈdish-ə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce expeditionary (audio)
: sent on military service abroad
an expeditionary force
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