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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Haiti remains in the grip of violent gangs despite recent gains in parts of Port-au-Prince.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2026 -
On the other side, De la Espriella has promised to fiercely crack down on criminal groups and build 10 megaprisons, following in a similar vein as El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, in his war on gangs, which has been beset by abuses, according to findings by human rights groups.—
Megan Janetsky,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
Noun
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Applying terrorism designations to criminal syndicates, Brazilian officials say, conflicts with domestic legal definitions and risks blurring distinctions underpinning international counterterrorism law.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
1 June 2026
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Instead, horses are often owned by sponsors, investors or syndicates.—
Danielle Rossingh,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
Noun
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Aliens on the loose, serial killer investigations, family conspiracies, abusive cults, and robots gone rogue are just a few scenarios guaranteed to grab your attention and spike your blood pressure…and they all can be found on the list below.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
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Peters long promoted conspiracies about the 2020 race, which former President Joe Biden won.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
Noun
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Publishers Coolabi Group and Chinese online giant Tencent Video have greenlit the series, adapted from Erin Hunter’s novels about battling clans of feral cats, which have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
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Our story begins in the winter of that year, as Murashige — along with his wife Chiyoho (Yuriko Yoshitaka) and the small handful of clans loyal to their family — barricade themselves behind the peripets of Arioka Castle and wait for death to arrive at their doorstep.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
20 May 2026
Noun
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These networks are viewed with less enthusiasm in the age of streaming, because more consumers are abandoning their cable subscriptions in favor of streaming services.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
3 June 2026
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Most existing and proposed projects are clustered around major metropolitan areas where fiber-optic networks, power infrastructure and workforce needs can be met.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Mafias.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Mafias. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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