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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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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 2023 mutiny by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner paramilitary company, led not to revolution but to his own untimely death. — Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026 Also known by its Spanish acronym AGC, the group evolved from right-wing paramilitary squads that fought Marxist guerrillas in Colombia in the 1990s and 2000s. — Maria Verza, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
A number of police stations, locations related to the security forces — including the Basij paramilitary — and intelligence facilities across Tehran have been targeted by airstrikes, CBS News producer in Tehran, Seyed Bathei, reports. — CBS News, 4 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
  1. military
  2. guerrilla
  3. naval
  4. soldier
  5. militant
  6. irregular
  7. warrior
  8. trooper
Adjective
  • The War Powers Act, created in the aftermath of the Vietnam conflict, sought to put a more specific time limit on the president's power, requiring congressional approval for sustained military actions after 60 or 90 days.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Refugee groups said military barracks aren’t the right place to house asylum seekers, but cautioned that migrants should not be made scapegoats.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of military
Noun
  • The atrocities committed in Chile were similar to those in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Central America, where leftist movements and guerrillas were squashed with incredible brutality.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Other people allegedly taken into custody were never seen alive again, including palace cafeteria employees and Irma Franco, an M-19 guerrilla captured during the operation.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of guerrilla
Adjective
  • The carrier’s return also highlights the continuing importance of maintenance and modernization in keeping large naval vessels operational decades after their commissioning.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The Houthis declared their ceasefire with Saudi Arabia over that day, struck the airport of the Saudi city of Abha within hours and announced a naval blockade a week later.
    — Mahad D. Darar, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of naval
Noun
  • The attack comes a day after a roadside bomb struck a security forces convoy in the northwestern Hangu district and killed six soldiers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Latin became the language of administration in the western half of the empire—the language used by politicians, soldiers, and intellectuals.
    — Scott Spires, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of soldier
Adjective
  • There are concerns that the Houthis' advance toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could have significant ramifications for energy markets and global trade, particularly if the militant group ratchets up threats or attacks on Red Sea shipping.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Mohammed was captured in Pakistan in 2003, accused of developing and directing the 9/11 attacks, as a leader of the Islamic militant group Al Qaeda.
    — Larry Neumeister, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 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
  • This celestial warrior has been protecting Marisol (Jade Santana) without her knowing it throughout her life.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • After crash landing on the dark world directly onto the homing beacon, EO and his crazy crew are apprehended by a gang of warrior henchmen and hauled into the throne room to face the wicked alien ruler who is imprisoned in anger and hate.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of warrior
Noun
  • The gaming property centers on Helldivers, a squad of elite shock troopers who must protect the fictional planet of Super Earth from attacking aliens.
    — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The suspect was located in Rawlins, further east down I-80, by Highway Patrol troopers and taken into custody without incident.
    — Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of trooper

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Paramilitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paramilitary. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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