paramilitary
adjective
Did you know?
This term paramilitary can take in a wide range of organizations, but is usually applied to forces formed by a government. Groups opposing a government, even when organized along military lines, are more often referred to as guerrillas or insurgents. In countries with weak central governments (such as, in recent times, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, or Congo), warlords may form their own paramilitary forces and take over all local police and military functions. Paramilitary often has a sinister sound today, since it's also applied to groups of off-duty military or police personnel who carry out illegal violence, often at night, with the quiet support of a government.
Examples of paramilitary in a Sentence
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 19 Nov. 2025
Police and paramilitary forces were deployed around government buildings and the tribunal complex, and there was tight security across the capital and other major cities.
—Ruma Paul, USA Today, 17 Nov. 2025
The paramilitary force battling the army in Sudan's civil war is shifting its focus eastward after consolidating its grip over Darfur last month, reigniting violence and launching drone attacks across the country's oil-producing southern areas.
—Reuters, NBC news, 13 Nov. 2025
In recent weeks, Maduro has repeatedly played up the role of the Bolivarian Militia, formed in 2008 by Chavez to provide a loyal paramilitary force that, while technically part of the armed forces, comes directly under the control of the president.
—German Padinger, CNN Money, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paramilitary
Cite this Entry
“Paramilitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paramilitary. Accessed 23 Nov. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share