foot soldier

noun

1
2
: a person likened to an infantryman especially in doing active and usually unglamorous work in support of an organization or movement
foot soldiers in the war against drugs

Examples of foot soldier in a Sentence

foot soldiers in the war against drugs he's been a foot soldier for several environmental organizations over the years
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.
However, Russia appears to be using the troops as foot soldiers, using them to carry out mass ground assaults despite major losses in Kursk. Victoria Butenko, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025 Experts say the helmet belonged to a hoplite, a kind of ancient Greek foot soldier who wore heavy armor to shield themselves. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2025 This low-tech approach of having foot soldiers transport drones into action is a rare example of how drones can favor the offense rather than defense. David Hambling, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 Controlled by Marines, its officers were Americans and the foot soldiers were Haitian. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foot soldier

Word History

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foot soldier was in 1587

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Cite this Entry

“Foot soldier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foot%20soldier. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

foot soldier

noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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