1
a
: a secret criminal society of Sicily or Italy
b
: a similarly conceived criminal organization in the U.S.
also
: a similar organization elsewhere
the Japanese Mafia
c
: a criminal organization associated with a particular traffic
the cocaine Mafia
2
often not capitalized
: a group of people likened to the Mafia
especially
: a group of people of similar interests or backgrounds prominent in a particular field or enterprise : clique
Examples of Mafia in a Sentence
a member of the Mafia
He's an important figure in the television mafia.
Recent Examples on the Web
The first episode of Season 2 delves into the Pagan Biker Gang, and the rest of the season will unpack organizations like Fresno Bulldogs, Nuestra Familia, Black Mafia Family, Vagos and Aryan Sisters of Texas.
—
Abigail Lee, Variety, 22 Apr. 2025
President Donald Trump and his allies in power are trying to erect an authoritarian Mafia state like the one Vladimir Putin and his cronies established in Russia.
—Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
In Season 4 of Godfather of Harlem, Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) continues his bloody war for control of Harlem against New York’s Mafia families, while contending with the arrival of gangster Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn).
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2025
This week, President Donald Trump froze $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard University, angering members of the Elbow Patch Mafia around America.
—Christian Schneider, National Review, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Mafia
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Abigail Lee, Variety, 22 Apr. 2025
President Donald Trump and his allies in power are trying to erect an authoritarian Mafia state like the one Vladimir Putin and his cronies established in Russia.
—Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
In Season 4 of Godfather of Harlem, Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker) continues his bloody war for control of Harlem against New York’s Mafia families, while contending with the arrival of gangster Frank Lucas (Rome Flynn).
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2025
This week, President Donald Trump froze $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard University, angering members of the Elbow Patch Mafia around America.
—Christian Schneider, National Review, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Mafia
Cite this Entry
“Mafia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Mafia. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Mafia
noun
Ma·fia
ˈmäf-ē-ə 
ˈmaf-
1
: a secret criminal society of Sicily or Italy
2
: a similar criminal organization in the U.S. or elsewhere
Geographical Definition
Mafia
geographical name
Ma·fia
ˈmä-fē-ə
ˈma-
island of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean south of Zanzibar area 170 square miles (442 square kilometers), population 16,748
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