paramilitary

adjective

para·​mil·​i·​tary ˌper-ə-ˈmi-lə-ˌter-ē 

ˌpa-rə-

: of, relating to, being, or characteristic of a force formed on a military pattern especially as a potential auxiliary military force

a paramilitary border patrol

paramilitary training

paramilitary noun

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

Government forces have been attacked by heavily armed paramilitary groups in several villages.

Recent Examples on the Web

The new president has pledged to intensify military operations and air strikes against guerrilla, drug-trafficking and paramilitary groups, while ending peace negotiations begun under his predecessor, leftist President Gustavo Petro. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026

Sudan has been mired in a brutal civil between government forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for more than three years. — Kate Bartlett, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026

The Africa Corps is a Russian paramilitary group that succeeded the disbanded Wagner Group. — ABC News, 31 July 2026

The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of Iraqi paramilitary forces backed by Iran, said in a statement released Wednesday that at least 20 of its fighters were killed and 32 wounded. — Mark Osborne, CBS News, 29 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for paramilitary

• beneficiary
• bronchopulmonary
• evolutionary
• expeditionary
• extramedullary
• extraordinary
• extrapulmonary
• genitourinary
• geostationary
• hepatobiliary
• illocutionary
• insurrectionary