secret police

noun

: a police organization operating for the most part in secrecy and especially for the political purposes of its government often with terroristic methods

Examples of secret police in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
When federal immigration authority is used to justify militarized tactics, the brutalization of civilians, and what increasingly resembles the behavior of a secret police force, the issue is no longer immigration. Jody Agius Vallejo, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026 Poland was run by allies of Soviet leader Josef Stalin who were known for their authoritarian rule, including Boleslaw Bierut, who, through 1956, headed a secret police responsible for the deaths of thousands. Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026 Some Iranians remember his father’s reign as an era of development and close ties with the West; others recall authoritarianism and the notorious SAVAK secret police. Roxana Saberi, Time, 15 Jan. 2026 One time while covering the political upheaval in Venezuela, my cameraman and I were detained for four hours in the hot sun by Venezuela’s feared secret police, the Sebin. Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for secret police

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of secret police was in 1823

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Cite this Entry

“Secret police.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secret%20police. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

secret police

noun
: a police organization operating mostly in secrecy and especially for the political purposes of its government and often using methods of terrorists

More from Merriam-Webster on secret police

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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