as in gangs
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Mafias
Noun
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The report also found sounded the alarm on how children trafficked by gangs are often seen not as victims but as perpetrators by law enforcement.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
4 Mar. 2026 -
Delice himself had to flee his home in the central coastal town of Arcahaie with his family after heavily armed gangs attacked it.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Recent Mexican history is riddled with the tales of once-powerful syndicates — gangs in Guadalajara, Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez, among them — that ruptured, were gobbled up by other mobs or petered out as the big guys were captured or killed.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
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Adams put together a portfolio of his workday doodles and sent it to several newspaper syndicates.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Kennedy has made no bones about his misplaced skepticism of mRNA vaccines, pinging off the proliferating conspiracies around the COVID vaccines — incredible innovations that saved countless lives during one of the worst global catastrophes in recent memory.—
The Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
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Of course, complicated government conspiracies, betrayals and high-tech weaponry abound.—
Oline H. Cogdill,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Salvation takes place in a mountainous region of Turkey where two Kurdish clans have grown up in constant distrust of each other.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
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Guests can explore clans and heritage, browse vendors, see Highland athletics and get a taste of Scotland through food and sound.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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With a continuous power supply in orbit, this technology could extend the lifespan and range of exploration missions, like future lunar bases and global space internet networks.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
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The agency also details the numerous and complicated media rights agreements for the major leagues, including deals with networks, cable channels and streaming services, plus leagues launching their own networks and direct‑to‑consumer streaming apps.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
4 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Mafias.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Mafias. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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