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
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Recent Examples of Mafia
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
Latin Mafia’s appearance at Lollapalooza felt, to many, like a tribute to Latin music.
—Sophie Levenson, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
Swedish House Mafia plays the second weekend of Tomorrowland 2025 today.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 25 July 2025
De Soto Music and shopping together The Rhythm & Roots Market will feature Superstar Mafia from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, July 25, in Downtown DeSoto.
—Debra Skodack, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for Mafia
Kim Willis, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
Latin Mafia’s appearance at Lollapalooza felt, to many, like a tribute to Latin music.
—Sophie Levenson, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025
Swedish House Mafia plays the second weekend of Tomorrowland 2025 today.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 25 July 2025
De Soto Music and shopping together The Rhythm & Roots Market will feature Superstar Mafia from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, July 25, in Downtown DeSoto.
—Debra Skodack, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for Mafia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Mafia
Noun
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Four gang members were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Thursday for their roles in two armed robberies that resulted in the death of three people at lookout points in the Angeles National Forest and Rancho Palos Verdes in 2023.—
Seamus Bozeman
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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Payton spoke unapologetically from the witness stand about his gang ties and his criminal history.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
Noun
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The following day, the syndicate said its Alexandria branch was closely monitoring developments surrounding the allegations at al-Shatabi Hospital.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
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Directed by action veteran Kenji Tanigaki and produced by Bill Kong, the martial arts showcase stars Xie Miao as Wang Wei, an ordinary man who unleashes a relentless rampage against a powerful child trafficking syndicate after his daughter is kidnapped.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Initial crowds were eager to watch the twisty conspiracy thriller on the biggest and brightest screens, with premium large formats representing a mighty 48% of grosses.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
14 June 2026
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In a 55-page decision, a superior court judge has dismissed significant portions of a lawsuit filed by the former Chief Human Resources Officer of Boston Water and Sewer, including all claims against the Herald, alleging she was fired as part of a wide-ranging conspiracy.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
14 June 2026
Noun
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Barry follows a depressed ex‑Marine hitman (Hader, in the title role) who turns to acting for salvation while tangling with the Chechen mob in Los Angeles.—
Stephen Rodrick,
Rolling Stone,
16 June 2026
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Meanwhile, Romanian-Hungarian director Cristina Groșan (Ordinary Failures, which premiered and was awarded at Venice) will present her mob drama Lesdenzero, a co-production between Czechia, Switzerland, Hungary and Romania.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Noun
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North West is no longer the baby of the Kardashian clan.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
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Francis Ford Coppola's career high mark gave audiences the American crime saga of the Corleone mafia family toward the end of the '50s, with Part II looking back on the criminal clan after Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) moves to the States from Sicily.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Noun
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The operation now includes livestock, educational programs and a network of volunteers helping sustain the nonprofit's work.—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
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Already used by luxury houses including Chanel and a network of international suppliers, the technology aims to preserve the visual precision and spontaneity of face-to-face meetings for design reviews, fittings and product development.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mafia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Mafia. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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