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
In September 2024, ‌JNIM attacked a paramilitary police training school near the ⁠Bamako airport, killing about 70 people. — Reuters, NBC news, 4 July 2026 Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for the attacks in Bahrain and Kuwait. — Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
Noun
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 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 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
  • In its early years, the flag was primarily used on battlefields, military forts, and ships as a form of identification.
    — Pete Cuddihy, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
  • Hale pointed toward the sky and urged them to look up as three military jets roared above the crowd.
    — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of military
Noun
  • Supporters see the Colombian tribunal as a landmark that helped end Latin America’s longest-running guerrilla insurgency and hold those responsible for atrocities accountable.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026
  • Cepeda had participated in and continued throughout the campaign to promote negotiations with guerrillas and cartels.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Definition of guerrilla
Adjective
  • Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Defense heavyweight Lockheed Martin is leading the race to buy naval defense group Ultra Maritime, CNBC has learned.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • True, nothing so grand as a massive dragon and naval battle took place, but seeing Rhaenyra start to change into someone almost unrecognizable from her younger, more innocent self was compelling in a deeper way.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of naval
Noun
  • All the gold is gone, and there’s barely enough to pay her soldiers, let alone throw a lavish coronation.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • Thirty-two Cuban soldiers working security for Maduro were killed in the raid.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of soldier
Adjective
  • The deal envisions peaceful relations between the two states and lays out a road map to disarm the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, secure Israel’s full withdrawal from Lebanon and restore Lebanese sovereignty over its entire national territory.
    — Anthony Wanis-St John, The Conversation, 10 July 2026
  • The Conservative lawmaker David Amess was stabbed to death in 2021 by a man inspired by the militant group, Islamic State.
    — Reuters, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
Definition of militant
Noun
  • Some galaxies, known as irregulars, don't fit neatly into either mold.
    — Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The existence of the irregulars raises an important question: How small can a galaxy get?
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 May 2025
Definition of irregular
Noun
  • That is why the churches call men and women who take to their knees as prayer warriors.
    — Lauren Green, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • By then Tanacharison is telling Washington that he is mystically protected, in the mode of certain Indigenous warriors who were placed on earth to be leaders.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 1 July 2026
Definition of warrior
Noun
  • During the holiday weekend in 2025, troopers responded to 5,110 calls for service, 528 traffic services, 1,219 traffic stops, 29 DUIs and 330 motor vehicle crashes, 35 with injuries and three with fatal injuries in Southbury and Prospect.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 4 July 2026
  • When the vehicle sped away instead, the troopers pursued the Dodge.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 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 12 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on paramilitary

Nglish: Translation of paramilitary for Spanish Speakers

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