paramilitary
adjective
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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
Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 12 Sep. 2025
The Ku Klux Klan and other white terror groups acted as a paramilitary arm of the Democratic Party, intent on driving the Republican Party out of Southern politics.
—Time, 5 Sep. 2025
There’s an ancient clan led by the protagonist, Joe Musashi, who’s thrust up against an evil paramilitary corporation and supernatural entities.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
The Jebel Marra region has seen a surge in population in recent months, as thousands fled a prolonged siege on Darfur's historic capital, El Fasher, by paramilitary forces at war with Sudan's army.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 2 Sep. 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 18 Sep. 2025.
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