detachments

noun

plural of detachment
as in patrols
a small military unit with a special task or function the general sent a detachment ahead to scout the enemy's position

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of detachments His career spanned roles as Naval Security Group detachments in Japan and San Diego. — Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2026 Additional police resources were deployed to the area from neighboring detachments, along with the North District Emergency Response Team. — Alexandra Koch , Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026 The Israeli military has amassed two major groups of armored vehicles in Sheikh Radwan, to the north of Gaza City, according to the imagery, with additional detachments of armored vehicles stationed along roads that lead toward Israel. — CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025 Although the much smaller Michino’o/Togitsu metal foundry detachments could not compete with the Ōhashi unit in terms of sheer noise and numbers, these girls were in high spirits this fine and yet‑too‑hot hot morning. — Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detachments
  1. troops
  2. battalions
  3. squads
  4. squadrons
  5. platoons
Noun
  • And the United States has already used up many critical munitions and strained its troops in the region by keeping the war going.
    — JAMES F. JEFFREY, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Government troops patrolled the streets, ambulances rushed to the victims, and residents ventured out assessing damage and clearing out bloodied clothes from the pavement.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of troops
Noun
  • In northern Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, Russian forces are reportedly disbanding some tank battalions and reallocating younger servicemembers to drone units, while assigning other personnel to assault units.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Originally constructed in the 1860s to house two battalions of the British Army, Chelsea Barracks served as an important military base for more than 140 years before being decommissioned in 2008.
    — Nick Scott, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of battalions
Noun
  • The Brazil international has been omitted from the squads for the Community Shield and the Coventry game on successive weekends, and looks likely to depart before next Tuesday’s deadline.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Butler had 12 tackles in 12 games last season, and Cooper, undrafted out of Houston in 2025, has been on the practice squads for Detroit and Cleveland but hasn’t yet appeared in a game.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of squads
Noun
  • Civil Protection units, supported by army squadrons, were still battling flare-ups in the provinces of Sétif and Guelma this week, where large swathes of forests have been burned.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • What was left of the RAF fighter squadrons flew home while the Army units plus what was left of the French Army fell back on the beaches of Dunkirk on the Channel coast.
    — David Szondy August 30, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of squadrons
Noun
  • The Phillies will run outfield platoons in left and center for the remainder of the season.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Multiple schools across three states will soon have their own veritable platoons of pepper-spraying drones to hunt down active shooters, The Washington Post reports, waiting to spring into action the moment they’re called on.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 30 July 2026
Definition of platoons

Browse Nearby Words

detachment
detachments
detail
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Cite this Entry

“Detachments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detachments. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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