service member

noun

variants or less commonly servicemember

ˈsər-vəs-ˌmem-bər 

plural service members also servicemembers

: a person who is a member of the armed forces

Once Federal Judge Martin Barash administered the oath of allegiance and spoke about their new responsibilities and privileges, he singled out each service member by name (the only new citizens offered this recognition), and the crowd responded with standing ovations.

—Smithsonian

For three-quarters of a century, East Helena has proudly honored servicemembers with a monument in the heart of town. And now community leaders are looking for names of area veterans as they rebuild the monument with a new design.

—Tom Kuglin

Examples of service member in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The letter, obtained by NBC News, prompted concerns about the impact to mental health that such a lengthy deployment can have on service members. — Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2026

The service members feared the isolated base was ill-equipped to handle a mass-casualty event if the attacks continued. — Jonah Kaplan, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

The program gives cash to service members who suffer severe injuries. — Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026

Crimes committed by American service members on Okinawa have been a source of tension between the United States and Japan for decades. — Javier C. Hernández, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for service member

• crewmember
• december
• dismember
• nonmember
• november
• remember
• september
• ember