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

4-F (adjective)

if someone is listed 4-F, they are not allowed to serve in the US armed forces

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 armed forces because you are ill or injured

buy out (British)

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

call up ()

to officially make someone become a member of the armed forces, especially in a war

call-up (noun)

a situation in which people are officially ordered to join the armed forces, usually because there is a war. The American word is draft.

cashier (verb)

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

commission (verb)

to make someone an officer in the armed forces

conscript (verb)

to make someone join the armed forces

conscript (noun)

someone who has been made to join the armed forces

conscription (noun)

the process of making people join the armed forces

demob (verb)

Britishinformal old-fashioned to demobilize

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 armed forces without permission

desertion (noun)

the act of leaving the armed forces without permission

dishonourable discharge (noun)

an order for someone to leave the armed forces because they have broken important rules

draft (noun)

the American spelling of draught

draft (verb)

mainly American to conscript someone into the armed forces

the draft (noun)

mainly American conscription into the armed forces

draft dodger (noun)

mainly American someone who avoids joining their country’s armed forces when they are officially ordered to

enlist (verb)

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

enlisted (adjective)

mainly American an enlisted man or woman is a member of the armed forces who is not an officer

induct (verb)

formal to officially take someone into the armed forces

join up ()

to become a member of the armed forces

press-gang (verb)

in the past, to force someone to join the armed forces

recruit (verb)

to get someone to join the armed forces

retd (abbreviation)

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

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 armed forces without being forced