In country means: In combat in a foreign country, especially in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.. It is military jargon and mostly appears in service contexts, war fiction, or among veterans and their families. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
in country
(military, US) In combat in a foreign country, especially in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
Seen in the wild
5 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Hahaha. "Click to drink soda". Why is there a "K" in country???
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BlueskyMay 2026
Grew up in country's largest intermodal freight hub, with a navy base to boot. Had a HS teacher who kept a driver and a bucket of fresh balls by the stairs to the roof.
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BlueskyMay 2026
I leave for Iceland in less than a week and I feel wholly unprepared for it. Good news is I'll get to take the Steam Controller and try it out on the road. Bad news is I will probably not touch it once I'm in countr…
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BlueskyMay 2026
Don't miss this week's Women in Country concert with Paige King Johnson. manncenterarts.thundertix.com/events/259723 Get tickets for the Wednesday show!
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BlueskyMay 2026
11. somewhere you'd like to visit hate being the typical kpop fan but yeah i'd love to visit seoul. in country.. i would like to go to san fransisco. california in general. ain't nothing here in yeehaw ass KY
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Definitions
#1·Apr 27, 2026
(military, US) In combat in a foreign country, especially in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
For parents
In country means: In combat in a foreign country, especially in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.. It is military jargon and mostly appears in service contexts, war fiction, or among veterans and their families. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
in country means: In combat in a foreign country, especially in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.. Register: informal, military jargon. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: fight
Heard in the wild
“Hahaha. "Click to drink soda". Why is there a "K" in country???”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Grew up in country's largest intermodal freight hub, with a navy base to boot. Had a HS teacher who kept a driver and a bucket of fresh balls by the stairs to the roof.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I leave for Iceland in less than a week and I feel wholly unprepared for it. Good news is I'll get to take the Steam Controller and try it out on the road. Bad news is I will probably not touch it once I'm in country because...I mean...have y'all seen Iceland? It's pretty.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Don't miss this week's Women in Country concert with Paige King Johnson. manncenterarts.thundertix.com/events/259723 Get tickets for the Wednesday show!”
— Bluesky· May 2026“11. somewhere you'd like to visit hate being the typical kpop fan but yeah i'd love to visit seoul. in country.. i would like to go to san fransisco. california in general. ain't nothing here in yeehaw ass KY”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
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Other words near "in country" (I)
income supportincontestabilityincontinent ordinanceincorporatedincorporated companyincorporated placeincredibubbleincredsincursionIndindabaindecent assault
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Semantically related
- abroad61%
Beyond the bounds of a country; in foreign countries.
- over there60%
(US, colloquial, originally, military) overseas to Europe (for military engagement), especially to the Western Front in France during World War I.
- foreign60%
Located outside a country or place, especially one's own.
- military59%
Relating to war.
- outside country59%
(AU) Districts beyond the line of settlement in Australia.