as in military
of or relating to a group that is not an official army but that operates and is organized like an army
Government forces have been attacked by heavily armed paramilitary groups in several villages. a paramilitary police force
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Dissimilar Words
as in guerrilla
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paramilitary
Roberto Andrés, The Dial, 28 May 2026
In November 2022, for example, one indigenous witness reported seeing members of notorious paramilitary group Comandos de la Frontera playing soccer on protected Awá Curanzu lands with contractors for Gran Tierra.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Golshan Fathi, a woman living in Tehran, said the Basij paramilitary, which played a key role in the bloody crushing of mass protests last month, was showing a heavy presence in the streets of the capital.
—Arkansas Online, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paramilitary
Adjective
The government began forming paramilitary groups that were responsible for countless massacres.
—Roberto Andrés, The Dial, 28 May 2026
In November 2022, for example, one indigenous witness reported seeing members of notorious paramilitary group Comandos de la Frontera playing soccer on protected Awá Curanzu lands with contractors for Gran Tierra.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Noun
And on the ground in Iran, there isn’t a single group or person or movement to whom these IRGC or other police or paramilitary could surrender.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Golshan Fathi, a woman living in Tehran, said the Basij paramilitary, which played a key role in the bloody crushing of mass protests last month, was showing a heavy presence in the streets of the capital.
—Arkansas Online, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paramilitary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paramilitary
Adjective
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The decision to end the core pillar of Europe’s largest defense project comes at a time when Western military officials have warned of a growing threat from Russia and the US is stepping up pressure for Europe to re-arm itself.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
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Strikes come amid Israel's military campaign in Lebanon Israel's strike in the Beirut area was the first attack since the United States brokered a truce plan for Lebanon last week.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Noun
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In the anonymity of darkness, the members of the guerilla art collective VJayBombs set up their gear with the confidence of practice.—
Oren Peleg,
HollywoodReporter,
6 June 2026
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Sunday’s vote, seen as a referendum on Petro’s policies, comes 10 years after Colombia signed a historic peace pact with guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.—
Raquel Coronell Uribe,
NBC news,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Trump has sought to pressure Iran into a deal by imposing a naval blockade on its ports and vessels.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
9 June 2026
-
Three years later, he was designated as a naval aviator.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2026
Noun
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Video has emerged that appears to counter the Israeli military’s account of an incident in which a soldier opened fire on a car carrying a family and killed their 7-month-old baby Sam Abu Haikal.—
Sarah Dean,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
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American soldiers liberated the camp months later, finding Haller at just 55 pounds and very sick.—
Jessica Tzikas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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The operation, according to the army’s statement, was conducted in the Mandara mountains, which form part of the militant group’s stronghold.—
Dyepkazah Shibayan,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
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Israel’s strikes and ground invasion in Lebanon in pursuit of Hezbollah, and the militant group’s resistance to disarming, have complicated an overall deal to end the war in the Middle East.—
Kareem Chehayeb,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Some galaxies, known as irregulars, don't fit neatly into either mold.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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The existence of the irregulars raises an important question: How small can a galaxy get?—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
8 May 2025
Noun
-
Nicholas Galitzine stars as the titular blond-haired warrior.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
6 June 2026
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Adam does find his sword and returns to Eternia, fairly early in the film, to fulfill his destiny as a powerful warrior who (eventually) goes by the name of He-Man.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
Noun
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The driver, identified as Rivas, showed signs of impairment, state police alleged, and fled as troopers checked him out for a potential DWI arrest.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
9 June 2026
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She and three other troopers were charged with manslaughter in connection to the 2024 death of trooper trainee Enrique Delgado-Garcia, who died after being knocked out during a boxing match at the State Police Academy.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paramilitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paramilitary. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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