paramilitary 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of paramilitarynext
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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paramilitary

2 of 2

noun

as in guerrilla

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of paramilitary
Adjective
The volunteers would be an additional layer of security to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and the Basij militia, which has played a key role in quashing anti-government protests. — Nasser Karimi, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 The season 2 premiere sees one of the most audacious yet — a white nationalist paramilitary group operating in the Florida panhandle. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Sep. 2026
Noun
Among them was the late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, creating a power vacuum largely filled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful paramilitary, political and economic group. — Alexander Smith, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026 Advertisement When Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, then the relatively unknown mayor of Tehran, was propelled to the presidency in 2005, Mojtaba Khamenei was thought to have orchestrated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij paramilitary’s support for his candidacy. — Kay Armin Serjoie, Time, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for paramilitary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paramilitary
  1. military
  2. guerrilla
  3. naval
  4. soldier
  5. militant
  6. irregular
  7. warrior
  8. trooper
Adjective
  • Israel responded with a military offensive that has killed over 74,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip according to local health authorities, left the territory in ruins and sparked an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Others in the industry have echoed the importance of space capabilities becoming a critical military asset.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of military
Noun
  • Intelligence officers transported him to a camp controlled by Colombia’s FARC guerrilla organization, where he was interrogated and tortured over approximately two days, according to the charges.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Until the late 1970s, when the Sandinistas were still a ragged, left-wing guerrilla movement, the United States provided guns, money and military training to the right-wing political dynasty that ruled Nicaragua with an iron fist.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of guerrilla
Adjective
  • Washington’s sanctions and naval blockade have caused rampant inflation.
    — Narges Bajoghli, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Min Aung Hlaing promised to expedite the process and send a naval vessel to Malaysia to assist with further repatriations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of naval
Noun
  • By transporting supplies, supporting reconnaissance activities, and assisting with casualty evacuation, unmanned ground vehicles can potentially reduce soldiers’ physical workload while extending their operational reach.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • One priority for Army planners is protecting the identities of soldiers selected to carry out the execution, one official described.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of soldier
Adjective
  • There was music and singing, but we were dressed in gowns and tuxedos and then did militant poetry.
    — Jeremy Rellosa, Curbed, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Abu Obaida also praised Iran for its support, as well as militant groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
    — Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of militant
Noun
  • Setting off in pursuit was José María Zuloaga, a taciturn lieutenant colonel in the Mexican army supported by a band of irregulars.
    — Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Some galaxies, known as irregulars, don't fit neatly into either mold.
    — Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Definition of irregular
Noun
  • Open social media and a million keyboard warriors are waging war.
    — Margaret Wappler, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Receiving the rose was a public acknowledgment that the recipient – usually a warrior – stood beside the pope in protecting the church.
    — Joëlle Rollo-Koster, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of warrior
Noun
  • The governor said the state's Highway Patrol had more than 300 troopers ready to assist with evacuations, emergency response and recovery operations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • At the time, an MSP trooper was sitting in his patrol car nearby with his emergency lights activated and was able to respond to the crash quickly.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of trooper

Browse Nearby Words

paramilitaries
paramilitary
paramount
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Cite this Entry

“Paramilitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paramilitary. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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