Taliban

plural noun

Tal·​i·​ban ˈtä-li-ˌbän How to pronounce Taliban (audio)
ˈta-li-ˌban
: a fundamentalist Islamic militia in Afghanistan

Examples of Taliban 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.
Soon Americans Shocked by '60 Minutes' Report on German Speech Policing Other books on the list under review include Kite Runner, which deals with the rise of the Taliban, as well as Aldous Huxley's classic dystopian novel Brave New World. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025 According to court records, two plaintiffs fled Afghanistan due to fears that the Taliban might persecute them over their support for the United States. Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 21 Feb. 2025 In exchange, the administration of President Joe Biden released Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, accused of supplying weapons to al-Qaeda, the Taliban and other unsavory parties. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025 The one exception was George W. Bush, who, riding a surge of patriotism and fear following 9/11, attempted to overthrow the Taliban in Afghanistan and waged a foolhearted war in Iraq. Steven Gillon / Made By History, TIME, 17 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Taliban

Word History

Etymology

Pashto & Persian ṭālibān, plural of ṭālib student, seeker, from Arabic

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Taliban was in 1992

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Cite this Entry

“Taliban.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Taliban. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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