Mafias

noun

plural of Mafia
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
  1. gangs
  2. syndicates
  3. conspiracies
  4. clans
  5. networks
Noun
  • Cartels, smaller mafias and street gangs hold sway in town halls and state governments around the country and have deepened their role in the economy.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • Prosecutors argued the three women were killed in the crossfire of rival gangs’ gun battle in the middle of the bustling intersection as nightclubs closed early on April 3.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of gangs
Noun
  • Rather than working in large criminal syndicates as many Westerners assume, Yahoo Boys typically work alone, asking victims for money – most often in the form of gift cards.
    — Mackenzie Farkus, Christian Science Monitor, 13 July 2026
  • Until then, global syndicates will happily roll the dice on street-level arrests while the corporate entities handling the cash enable the pipeline.
    — Ari Maas, New York Daily News, 11 July 2026
Definition of syndicates
Noun
  • The conspiracies of the Heat mistakenly leaking James’ decision to return to Miami also picked up steam, and the Heat simultaneously skyrocketed on the Polymarket and Kalshi prediction market platforms as James’ next team.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
  • Despite the conspiracies and complaints, several state workers reported that the forum is extremely helpful for sharing information and getting professional advice.
    — William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of conspiracies
Noun
  • The Richards family is one of America’s richest clans, thanks to its electrical manufacturing company Southwire.
    — Simone Melvin, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Warrior Cats is based on Erin Hunter’s feline book series that follows the adventures and drama of multiple clans of feral cats.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 18 June 2026
Definition of clans
Noun
  • In traditional payments, networks and processors monetize volume.
    — Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Chinese firm Huami explored a similar idea in early 2025, but its tracker still relied on telecom networks to send a dog’s location back to the owner’s phone.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 July 2026
Definition of networks
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

Mafia
Mafias
mafiosi
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Cite this Entry

“Mafias.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Mafias. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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