The term armed merchant ship may describe a number of similar ship modifications intended for

significantly different missions. The term armed merchantman is generally used.

East Indiaman describes late 18th and early 19th-century sailing ships engaged in trade
while carrying guns similar to contemporary warships.

Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships were civilian-manned cargo ships carrying a small
number of military personnel to operate an anti-submarine gun and anti-aircraft machine guns
during the world wars of the early 20th century.[1]

Auxiliary cruisers were cargo ships commissioned as naval vessels with a military crew,
converted to carry the guns of a light cruiser, and sometimes used as Merchant raiders.[2]

Armed merchant cruisers were fast passenger liners commissioned as naval vessels with a
military crew and converted to carry the guns of a light cruiser.[3]

Naval trawlers were fishing trawlers commissioned as naval vessels with a military crew and
equipped for minesweeping or anti-submarine escort. [4]

Q-ships were small civilian ships commissioned as naval vessels with a military crew, but
retaining their original appearance while carrying concealed anti-submarine weapons. [5]

Armed boarding steamers were merchant steamers converted by the United Kingdom
for boarding enemy vessels.