civil defense

noun

: the system of protective measures and emergency relief activities conducted by civilians in case of hostile attack, sabotage, or natural disaster

Examples of civil defense in a Sentence

She's in training to be part of the local civil defense. the head of civil defense
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.
The report added that a number of victims are still under the rubble and on roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them. Abeer Salman, CNN, 13 Jan. 2025 Abed Rahim Khatib / Anadolu via Getty Images An NBC News crew captured the moment a member of the civil defense emerged carrying the body of a small child, covered in dust, mud and blood, through the building. Freddie Clayton, NBC News, 16 Dec. 2024 And unlike some other European countries, Finland has kept around 50,000 Cold-War era civil defense shelters, which could accommodate roughly 85% of the population of about 5.5 million. James Brooks, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024 What to Know From firearm training to maintaining Cold War-era civil defense shelters, Finland is positioning itself as a model of resilience and readiness in a volatile geopolitical climate. Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for civil defense 

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of civil defense was in 1939

Dictionary Entries Near civil defense

Cite this Entry

“Civil defense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20defense. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

civil defense

noun
: protective actions and emergency relief activities carried on by civilians in case of enemy attack or natural disaster

More from Merriam-Webster on civil defense

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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