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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An IndyStar investigation, which is based on interviews with four dozen people, including current and former inmates, their families and former employees, found Miami Correctional is constantly beset by violence fueled by gangs and drugs.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
5 Nov. 2025 -
While a decade ago the majority of knife crime perpetrated by young people was related to gangs, this is no longer the case, James Alexander, an associate enterprise fellow in criminology at London Metropolitan University, told CNN.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Such crackdowns attract notice from Boswell, who detects a civilian ally in his fight against local syndicates.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
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Elon Musk’s SpaceX has disabled more than 2,500 Starlink devices in and around scam centers in Myanmar, following warnings from activists that mainly Chinese syndicates were using the technology to defraud people worldwide.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But other influencers are using the war as an opportunity to peddle antisemitic conspiracies.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
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Theories about this abound—all have their evidentiary shortcomings—but Greenblatt agrees with a common one that sees Marlowe traveling to France and uncovering Catholic conspiracies against the Crown.—
Isaac Butler,
The Atlantic,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Hamas has sought to exert control over the rest of the enclave, including in violent clashes with rival clans, some of which receive backing from Israel, and at least one public execution.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
3 Nov. 2025
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In classical antiquity, the mountainous region was notorious for bandits; in modern times, blood feuds among clans were rife.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Beyond tools and workflow organization, FinBursa’s marketplace is designed to enable professionals to expand their networks organically.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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Linking quantum computers to create powerful, high-speed quantum networks involves entangling atoms through a fiber cable.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Mafias.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Mafias. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
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