Definition of Mafianext
as in gang
a group involved in secret or criminal activities the local Mafia largely finances itself through extortion rackets and drug trafficking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of Mafia More than 30 people, including members and associates of four major Mafia crime families, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and ex-NBA player Damon Jones, have been ensnared in the scheme. — Tom Winter, NBC news, 10 June 2026 The Alphabet Mafia will not stand for straight attractive White girls to dominate their sport, regardless of the success that the new class has brought the league. — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026 The game, which is essentially Mafia, hit big with nearly 500 million monthly active users by its peak in the fourth quarter of 2020, no doubt fueled by the at-home isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026 Presley’s friends in the Memphis Mafia were convinced that Elvis wanted to tour the world and blamed Parker’s fear of deportation. — Kim Willis, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Mafia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Mafia
Noun
  • Brito da Silva blamed the lack of educational, recreational and employment options for youth's gang involvement.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Police said gang-unit detectives are investigating the shooting.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Anti-mafia prosecutor Alessandra Cerreti, who has persuaded dozens of women to testify against crime families across all Italy’s crime syndicates, admits the risks are high.
    — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Details of how to run the syndicate were left to its members — insurers licensed to operate in California who would share in the plan’s profits and losses.
    — Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Daniel later pleaded guilty to one conspiracy charge connected to his threats, and in June of this year he was sentenced in state court to three years in prison and five years of probation, just weeks before his 19th birthday.
    — Jeff Winter, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Holmes was convicted by a federal jury in 2022 of wire fraud and conspiracy for lying to investors about her blood-testing company, Theranos.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Of these three films, The Uprising is admittedly the least heist-explicit; Paul Greengrass’s shaky cam mostly follows marching mobs lambasting the king and furious revolts against soldiers and tax collectors.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Those gross mob-style pile-on tendencies are unhelpful and will not lead to meaningful dialog or even results.
    — Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In a clip first shared with Entertainment Weekly, the Oscar-winning filmmaker recalls arranging an appearance on Judge Judy involving the whole Spielberg clan — a 90th birthday gift to his late mother, Leah Adler, a huge fan of Sheindlin’s.
    — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The first occurred in 2008, when Bill Parcells and his clan took over the franchise after Cam Cameron’s 1-15 season.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • From there, the five networks distribute footage to their local station affiliates and paying subscribers, including The Washington Post, which is a digital subscriber.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Starring and executive produced by Saldaña and Nicole Kidman, Season 3 of Lioness sees hidden networks, foreign operatives and personal betrayals collide.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 27 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mafia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Mafia. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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