militia

noun

Definition of militianext
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.

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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 militia There, he’s attacked by The Denied, a militia group of non-benders who feel like second-class citizens in this world seeking an old totem of a prior Avatar known as Sonam. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 July 2026 The book instead focuses on Penelope’s diplomatic genius, along with her loyal women who form a network of spies for her along with a secret militia that quietly runs the island from the shadows for two decades while their men are away at war. — Literary Hub, 17 July 2026 The transnational jihadist militia made Raqqa, in northeastern Syria, its capital amid the country's 2011-2024 civil war and still has supporters in the desert hinterlands. — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 15 July 2026 Tens of thousands of ultra-orthodox Jews, sometimes called Haredi, have refused conscription into the Israeli militia on religious grounds. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for militia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for militia
  1. battalion
  2. army
  3. soldiers
  4. troops
Noun
  • The battalion was once again redeployed to the West Bank 30 days later after undergoing an education seminar and additional training.
    — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 13 July 2026
  • The Israeli army built another five battalions of soldiers who were never engaged in service or finished their service and wish to return to duty.
    — Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of battalion
Noun
  • Zelenskyy appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new army chief, according to a statement on social media.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026
  • In 2024, he was made commander of the Ukrainian Land Forces, one of the most senior posts in the Ukrainian army, before being appointed commander of the Joint Forces the following year.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Definition of army
Noun
  • The soldiers killed in Jordan were identified by the Defense Department as Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
  • With 18 deaths and nearly 100 soldiers injured, the Pentagon is also under pressure to address the impact to US troops.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of soldiers
Noun
  • That cooperation was also seen in recent joint Russia-China naval drills, and in North Korea sending troops to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • The Nazis and the Soviet Union led the way in leveraging propaganda, using sharply skewed information and entertainment to inspire their troops, rally the homeland, and win over—or confuse—enemy populations.
    — Marc Fisher, New Yorker, 30 July 2026
Definition of troops

Browse Nearby Words

military
militia
militiaman
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Cite this Entry

“Militia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/militia. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on militia

Nglish: Translation of militia for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about militia

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