Synonyms and antonyms of Joining and leaving the armed forces in American Thesaurus

4-F (adjective)

if someone is listed 4-F, they are not allowed to serve in the U.S. military

AWOL (adjective)

absent without leave: if someone such as a soldier goes AWOL, they leave the place where they are working without permission

be invalided out (of) ()

to be forced to leave the military because you are sick or injured

buy out (British)

British to pay money so that someone can leave an organization, especially the military, before the time that they had originally agreed

call up (mainly British)

mainly British to draft someone into the military

call-up (noun)

mainly British a draft for a military force

cashier (verb)

formal to make someone leave a position of responsibility, especially in the military, because they have done something wrong

commission (verb)

to make someone an officer in the military

conscript (verb)

to make someone join the military

conscript (noun)

someone who has been made to join the military

conscription (noun)

the process of making people join the military

demobilise ()

a British spelling of demobilize

demobilize (verb)

to send members of military forces home, especially after a war has ended

desert (verb)

if soldiers desert, they leave the army without permission

deserter (noun)

someone who leaves the military without permission

desertion (noun)

the act of leaving the military without permission

dishonorable discharge (noun)

an order for someone to leave the military because they have broken an important rule

draft (verb)

to order someone to join the military, for example when there is a war

the draft (noun)

a system in which people are ordered to join the military, for example because there is a war. The British word is conscription

draft dodger (noun)

someone who avoids joining their country’s military when they are officially ordered to

draftee (noun)

American someone who has been officially ordered to join their country’s military

enlist (verb)

if someone enlists or is enlisted, they join the military of their country

enlisted (adjective)

an enlisted man or woman is a member of the military who is not an officer

induct (verb)

formal to officially take someone into the military

join up ()

to become a member of the military

military service (noun)

mainly British the military draft

recruit (verb)

to get someone to join the military

retd. (abbreviation)

retired: used after the name of someone who has stopped being an officer in the military

shanghai (verb)

informal old-fashioned in the past, to force someone to join the crew of a ship

volunteer (verb)

to agree to join the military without being forced