peacekeeping: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, official, diplomatic, military, journalistic.
Quick answer
What does “peacekeeping” mean?
The active maintenance of a truce between nations or communities, especially by an international military force.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The active maintenance of a truce between nations or communities, especially by an international military force.
Any activity that prevents or reduces conflict between people or groups; maintaining peace and order in potentially volatile situations through monitoring, negotiation, and intervention.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Slight preference in British English for 'peacekeeping' as a single, unhyphenated word, whereas older American sources may sometimes hyphenate (peace-keeping), but the solid form is now standard in both.
Connotations
Strongly associated with UN and NATO operations. In political discourse, can carry connotations of international interventionism or neo-colonialism depending on context.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties. More common in news, political, and military contexts than in general conversation.
Grammar
How to Use “peacekeeping” in a Sentence
UN peacekeeping in [region]a peacekeeping mission to [country]peacekeeping by [organization]the peacekeeping of [conflict area]engage in peacekeepingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “peacekeeping” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The UN is peacekeeping in the region.
- They spent years peacekeeping in Cyprus.
American English
- The US has a history of peacekeeping abroad.
- The mission involved peacekeeping and nation-building.
adverb
British English
- They acted peacekeepingly in the buffer zone. (Extremely rare and awkward)
American English
- The unit operated peacekeepingly. (Extremely rare and awkward)
adjective
British English
- The peacekeeping soldiers wore blue helmets.
- A new peacekeeping mandate was approved.
American English
- The peacekeeping force was deployed quickly.
- He served in a peacekeeping capacity.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; might be used metaphorically for 'conflict resolution between departments'.
Academic
Common in political science, international relations, and security studies. Refers to specific doctrines and historical missions.
Everyday
Used when discussing international news about wars and UN involvement.
Technical
Specific military/UN term with defined legal mandates under Chapter VI or VII of the UN Charter.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “peacekeeping”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “peacekeeping”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “peacekeeping”
- Using 'peacekeeping' to mean general peaceful behaviour. It's institutional. *'My brother is good at peacekeeping between our parents.' (Incorrect unless he leads a formal delegation!).
- Confusing 'peacekeeping' (monitoring a truce) with 'peacemaking' (brokering a peace deal) or 'peacebuilding' (long-term reconstruction).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Peacekeeping involves monitoring and enforcing an existing truce or ceasefire. Peacemaking involves diplomatic efforts to broker a peace agreement between warring parties.
Not always. While military personnel form the core, modern peacekeeping operations often include police officers, and civilian experts in human rights, rule of law, and civil administration.
Typically, 'peacekeeping' implies international or multinational legitimacy, often from an organization like the UN, NATO, or the African Union. A unilateral military intervention by one country is usually termed differently (e.g., intervention, stabilization force).
Peacekeeping traditionally operates with the consent of the warring parties (Chapter VI of UN Charter). Peace enforcement (Chapter VII) does not require full consent and can involve the use of force to impose peace, such as in the Korean War or the Gulf War.
The active maintenance of a truce between nations or communities, especially by an international military force.
Peacekeeping is usually formal, official, diplomatic, military, journalistic. in register.
Peacekeeping: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpiːsˌkiːpɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpisˌkipɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Wear the blue helmet (referring to UN peacekeepers)”
- “Hold the line (in a peacekeeping context)”
- “Keep the peace”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a KEEPER in a football goal. His job is to stop goals (conflict). The PEACE KEEPER's job is to stop fights and keep the 'goal' of peace.
Conceptual Metaphor
PEACE IS A FRAGILE OBJECT THAT MUST BE GUARDED AND MAINTAINED; WAR/ CONFLICT IS A FIRE THAT MUST BE CONTAINED.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the PRIMARY goal of peacekeeping?