Armed neutrality is a term commonly used to describe a nation's non-engagement in a conflict but with an armed military readiness in case of an attack. There are several synonyms that can be used to describe the same concept. For instance, non-belligerence denotes a state of not engaging in warfare, pacifism represents the opposition to war as a means of resolving conflicts, and non-alignment refers to the policy of not aligning or associating oneself with any particular bloc or alliance. Other synonyms for armed neutrality include neutrality with teeth, passive defense, military deterrence, and strategic retreat. All these terms convey the same meaning of a state that seeks to maintain peace and protect its sovereignty without necessarily engaging in direct military intervention.