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Definition of paramilitary
: 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
nounPeople Are Reading
Examples of paramilitary in a Sentence
Government forces have been attacked by heavily armed paramilitary groups in several villages.
Recent Examples of paramilitary from the Web
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One reason is the deployment since 2013 of the Rangers, a tough paramilitary force that has used overwhelming firepower, plus encounters, to arouse fear.
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Later on Wednesday, Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, head of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, warned the U.S. against imposing sanctions on the paramilitary group.
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Pro-government paramilitary groups attacked voters outside the Our Lady of Carmen Church around 3 p.m., according to the opposition mayor of the Caracas borough of Sucre, Carlos Ocariz.
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Pro-government paramilitary groups attacked voters outside the Our Lady of Carmen Church around 3 p.m., according to the opposition mayor of the Caracas borough of Sucre, Carlos Ocariz.
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But his strategy would also give the CIA control over operations in Afghanistan, which would be carried out by paramilitary units and hence subject to less oversight than the military, according to a person briefed on it.
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In the past the party has had links to paramilitary groups backing the loyalist cause.
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The missiles were launched by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a paramilitary organization separate from army within the Iranian Armed Forces.
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The army has raised two new infantry divisions, speckled with commando, paramilitary and police units, to protect Chinese workers.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'paramilitary.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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.
First Known Use of paramilitary
1935
PARAMILITARY Defined for English Language Learners
paramilitary
playDefinition of paramilitary for English Language Learners
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: of or relating to a group that is not an official army but that operates and is organized like an army
Learn More about paramilitary
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See words that rhyme with paramilitary Nglish: Translation of paramilitary for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of paramilitary for Arabic speakers
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