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Glite Dictionary
security force

security force

67 3.3
A group of people hired by a company to protect its buildings and goods
  • noun
  • /sɪˈkjʊrɪti fɔrs/
translation icon : personal de seguridad
  • The company hired a private security force to protect its assets.

It'll be the hired police or, you know, security forces of the management.

Examples

  • First, use a bottom-up approach founded on good governance, capable security forces, and engagement with local communities.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Idaho has a statute authorizing private security forces to secure the capitol building and the state supreme court.

    Academic text (2017)

  • Runs the biggest private security force in America.

    Beverly Hills Cop III (1994)

  • Why not send in the security force?

    Solaris (2002)

  • Two of them against your entire security force?

    Blade (1998)

  • Plus 20 more on the security force.

    Eraser (1996)

  • Our private security forces were useless.

    It Came from the Desert (2018)

  • Today, there are more private security forces in Panama City than there are police forces.

    Academic text (1993)

  • At a minimum, the security forces must keep Afghans safe enough to live basically normal lives.

    Academic text (2011)

  • - Here at the Ben and Sarah Experience, your safety is guaranteed by an elite security force of King Enterprises.

    Primal Games (2025)

Synonyms

security
vssecurity force
∞ 2.5

Things or people that keep homes and buildings safe from crime and danger

refers specifically to a hired group rather than general protective measures or devices
force
vssecurity force
∞ 2.3

An organized group of people like soldiers or police

is a hired group working for a business to protect its people and property
security staff
vssecurity force
5 2.8

A group of employees who protect people, property and information from theft and damage

is usually hired from outside the organization rather than being internal
private security force
vssecurity force
1 3.9

A group of guards a company or person hires to protect people and property

has identical meaning but uses a different multiword form

How Big

paramilitary force
  • Literature
4 6.8
security force
67 3.3
squad
702 2.4

Surface Forms

security force singular
security forces plural

Morphology

security + force

The meaning 'a group that protects security' is directly derivable from combining 'security' (protection measures/people) with 'force' (a trained group such as police). This is a straightforward modifier + head noun composition following standard English patterns and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Security force paints a simple picture: security means safety and force means a group of people with power or training. So a security force is a team, often hired, whose job is 'to protect' a person, place, or business.