Loading collection...
💼
Military Metaphors in Business Vocabulary
Combat terms used in professional contexts
10 words
All 10 Words
boots on the ground
/ˌbuːts ɒn ðə ˈɡraʊnd/personnel actively present in a situation
“We need boots on the ground to assess the market.”
in the trenches
/ɪn ðə ˈtrentʃɪz/doing difficult, hands-on work
“She's in the trenches with the team every day.”
take no prisoners
/ˌteɪk noʊ ˈprɪzənərz/to be ruthless and uncompromising
“The new CEO takes no prisoners.”
rallying the troops
/ˌræliɪŋ ðə ˈtruːps/motivating a team or organization
“The manager spent the morning rallying the troops.”
battle-tested
/ˈbætəl ˈtestɪd/proven through difficult experience
“Our battle-tested processes handle any crisis.”
hold the fort
/ˌhoʊld ðə ˈfɔːrt/to maintain a position while others are away
“Can you hold the fort while I'm at the conference?”
under fire
/ˌʌndər ˈfaɪər/being attacked or criticized
“The CEO is under fire from shareholders.”
outflank
/ˈaʊtˌfɫæŋk/to gain advantage by circumventing opposition
“We outflanked competitors with our pricing strategy.”
scorched earth
/ˌskɔːrtʃt ˈɜːrθ/destroying assets to prevent competitor advantage
“The departing executive pursued scorched earth tactics.”
war room
/ˈwɔːr ˌruːm/a dedicated space for crisis management or planning
“The team gathered in the war room for the product launch.”
More from Military & Politics
Explore other vocabulary categories in this collection.