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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Trump also announced a similar designation for Haitian gangs.—
Azadeh Shahshahani,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025 -
Since that time, such attacks have proliferated, with ransomware gangs going after both individual practices and software vendors within the dental ecosystem.—
Tarun Eldho Alias,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Trump has previously ordered certain drug cartels — including five Mexican syndicates — to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations, and last month signed a Pentagon directive initiating the use of military force against drug trafficking groups.—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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The challenges are immense, poaching syndicates are sophisticated and well-funded, but Hluhluwe–iMfolozi holds the fort.—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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As with many space conspiracies, a few evocative images plus some real (but unrelated) history can fuel a story that’s hard to shake.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Sep. 2025
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Sanseito was born on YouTube in 2020 with a message trafficking in vaccine conspiracies.—
Mireya Solís,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Ellen and Brian may have just declared their love and commitment to each other in a handfast ceremony, but their burgeoning relationship is about to upend both of their clans’ lives.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Aug. 2025
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Colum calmly declares that the union will mend the damage between the clans.—
Lincee Ray Published,
EW.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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While recent reports are textbook exposés of the realities of modern warfare, the recruitment networks’ international facade makes protecting foreign fighters all the more difficult.—
Rebecca Johns,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
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The firm includes attorneys who have been interviewed on news networks, spoken at conventions, and even been elected to boards of directors or executive roles at prestigious legal organizations.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Mafias.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Mafias. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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