as in battalion
a group of people who are not part of the armed forces of a country but are trained like soldiers
Local militia were an important part of American forces during the Revolutionary War.
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Recent Examples of militia
The camp in western Ethiopia is being used to prepare fighters to join the Rapid Support Forces militia, which is accused of perpetrating a genocide against Sudan’s Black population, according to Reuters.
—
Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Zubayar Al-Bakoush, identified by officials as a member of an extremist militia in Libya, had been wanted by the United States for more than a decade.
—Eric Tucker, Arkansas Online, 7 Feb. 2026
The rebel militias under Ahmed al-Sharaa’s command had been lobbying for Turkey’s permission to launch a military operation, and finally, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave it to them.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
In May 2008, the radical Shia militia conducted an urban military coup against the pro-Western government and seized full power until the Israel-Iran war, known as the 12-day war of 2025.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for militia
Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Zubayar Al-Bakoush, identified by officials as a member of an extremist militia in Libya, had been wanted by the United States for more than a decade.
—Eric Tucker, Arkansas Online, 7 Feb. 2026
The rebel militias under Ahmed al-Sharaa’s command had been lobbying for Turkey’s permission to launch a military operation, and finally, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave it to them.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
In May 2008, the radical Shia militia conducted an urban military coup against the pro-Western government and seized full power until the Israel-Iran war, known as the 12-day war of 2025.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for militia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for militia
Noun
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President Bola Tinubu’s office said in a statement late Wednesday that a Nigerian army battalion will be deployed to Kwara’s Kaiama area, where the attack happened.—
Ope Adetayo,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Netherlands Ministry of Defense Last year, Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandria finished 15-months of service as a gunner in an engineering battalion.—
Frank Andrews,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In 1996, former President Chun Doo-hwan, an army major general, was convicted for seizing power in a 1979 military coup and presiding over the 1980 Gwangju massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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The two armies remain locked in battle on the roughly 750-mile front line, while Russia bombards civilian areas of Ukraine daily.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Four Israeli soldiers have been killed.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
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According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 590 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops in the territory since the ceasefire began, while Palestinian militants have killed four Israeli soldiers in the same period.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
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So if Russian troops enter Lithuania, God bless you, just like example, or another country on NATO’s eastern flank, what will the allies hear then?—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Militia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militia. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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