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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Dissimilar Words
as in guerrilla
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paramilitary
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
26 June 2026
The second is the military and paramilitary groups—the SAF and RSF, respectively—fighting for the keys to the country at the cost of thousands of civilian lives.
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Janine Di Giovanni,
Vanity Fair,
25 June 2026
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
Adjective
That ceasefire is contingent on a complete cessation of fire by the paramilitary group Hezbollah and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector, an area in southern Lebanon.
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Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
26 June 2026
The second is the military and paramilitary groups—the SAF and RSF, respectively—fighting for the keys to the country at the cost of thousands of civilian lives.
—
Janine Di Giovanni,
Vanity Fair,
25 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.
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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
Adjective
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In its early years, the flag was primarily used on battlefields, military forts, and ships as a form of identification.
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Hale pointed toward the sky and urged them to look up as three military jets roared above the crowd.
Noun
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Cepeda had participated in and continued throughout the campaign to promote negotiations with guerrillas and cartels.
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As part of this shift, Cuban officers are opting to train soldiers in guerrilla tactics rather than conventional warfare — a strategic departure corroborated by Cancian that is also evident in the footage.
Adjective
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The North Korean naval fleet has long been eclipsed by South Korean and United States naval forces, which field modern warships and submarines with sophisticated electronics and powerful missile launch capabilities.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday called for a major expansion of the country's naval forces, suggesting the regime should build two large warships each year for the next five years.
Noun
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Mexico sent two Mexican Air Force transport planes carrying 261 personnel, including soldiers, air force members and National Guard troops, Reuters reported.
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National Guard soldiers and airmen will be tasked with crowd control, traffic management and security patrols.
Adjective
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Yet Piker himself has followed the DSA’s militant line, repeatedly praising authoritarian regimes such as China’s, Cuba’s, and Russia’s, as well as terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
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There are also concerns that fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon could escalate once more and derail future talks.
Noun
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Some galaxies, known as irregulars, don't fit neatly into either mold.
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The existence of the irregulars raises an important question: How small can a galaxy get?
Noun
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That is why the churches call men and women who take to their knees as prayer warriors.
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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.
Noun
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The training brought together deputies, officers and troopers from agencies spanning rural communities across the state, including mountain towns and eastern plains communities.
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At least two people were transported to a hospital and six people died in the fire, troopers wrote.
Cite this Entry
“Paramilitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paramilitary. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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