as in battalion
a group of people who are not part of the armed forces of a country but are trained like soldiers
Local militia were an important part of American forces during the Revolutionary War.
Related Words
Relevance
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 militia
Ahmed Abu Khatallah, a Libyan militia leader whom prosecutors portrayed as the mastermind, was convicted of four counts in 2017 and sentenced to 22 years in prison.
—
Ella Lee, The Hill, 12 Feb. 2026
The camp in western Ethiopia is being used to prepare fighters to join the Rapid Support Forces militia, which is accused of perpetrating a genocide against Sudan’s Black population, according to Reuters.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Zubayar Al-Bakoush, identified by officials as a member of an extremist militia in Libya, had been wanted by the United States for more than a decade.
—Eric Tucker, Arkansas Online, 7 Feb. 2026
In May 2008, the radical Shia militia conducted an urban military coup against the pro-Western government and seized full power until the Israel-Iran war, known as the 12-day war of 2025.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for militia
Ella Lee, The Hill, 12 Feb. 2026
The camp in western Ethiopia is being used to prepare fighters to join the Rapid Support Forces militia, which is accused of perpetrating a genocide against Sudan’s Black population, according to Reuters.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Zubayar Al-Bakoush, identified by officials as a member of an extremist militia in Libya, had been wanted by the United States for more than a decade.
—Eric Tucker, Arkansas Online, 7 Feb. 2026
In May 2008, the radical Shia militia conducted an urban military coup against the pro-Western government and seized full power until the Israel-Iran war, known as the 12-day war of 2025.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for militia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for militia
Noun
-
Gracynn Campbell, Fairview High A junior cadet major, Gracynn is the commander of the Yellow Jacket battalion, the honor guard commander and has given more than 200 volunteer hours to her community.—
Andy Humbles,
Nashville Tennessean,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The historical film is about the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, known as the Six Triple Eight, an all-Black, all-female battalion that was deployed to Europe during World War II.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ukrainian forces have in recent months pushed Russia's army back at points along the roughly 750-mile front line in eastern areas of the country, according to the Institute for the Study of War.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The filmmaker depicts the takeover of the Donbass region by Russian-speaking militias who entered into conflict with the Ukrainian army.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The airstrikes came after a month of deadly attacks within Pakistan, the most recent being the killing of two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel, by militants in the country’s northwest on Saturday, officials said.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
-
The effort targets growing demand for robotic systems that can support tanks and reconnaissance vehicles without adding soldiers to the battlefield.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Many Minnesotans watched with worry as federal agents and National Guard troops hit the streets of Los Angeles last summer and Chicago in the fall.—
Nick Woltman,
Twin Cities,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Again, the Kremlin has not confirmed the figures, but Ukrainian officials recently boasted of killing 35,000 Russian troops in December alone.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Militia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militia. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
