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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in guerilla
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Recent Examples of paramilitary
David Axe, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
But the powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which oversees Iran's vast ballistic missile arsenal, was silent, raising questions about whether anything had been hit at its bases.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 27 Oct. 2024
The sisters listened with a mixture of relief and horror as the soldiers, members of a Sudanese paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces, moved through the rest of their house, smashing windows and destroying furniture.
—Ryan Lenora Brown, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Oct. 2024
According to the restaurant, four of the reenactors were dressed as U.S. ally soldiers, one was dressed as a nurse and the others were dressed as SS officers, a paramilitary group who served as Adolf Hitler's personal body guard.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for paramilitary 
Adjective
There are countless volunteer paramilitary groups in Ukraine that exist outside the formal military structure.
—David Axe, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
But the powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which oversees Iran's vast ballistic missile arsenal, was silent, raising questions about whether anything had been hit at its bases.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 27 Oct. 2024
The sisters listened with a mixture of relief and horror as the soldiers, members of a Sudanese paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces, moved through the rest of their house, smashing windows and destroying furniture.
—Ryan Lenora Brown, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Oct. 2024
According to the restaurant, four of the reenactors were dressed as U.S. ally soldiers, one was dressed as a nurse and the others were dressed as SS officers, a paramilitary group who served as Adolf Hitler's personal body guard.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for paramilitary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paramilitary
Adjective
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The head of the national intelligence community, a key adviser to the president, leads the 17 civilian and military agencies tasked with conducting intelligence gathering and analysis in support of the country's national security and foreign policy interests.Graham Kates, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2024
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The United States warned Israel in October that it might be forced to curtail some of its crucial military support if Israel did not rapidly ramp up the amount of aid entering Gaza.Wafaa Shurafa and Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Pete Buttigieg The 42-year-old former naval officer and one of the Democratic Party's biggest and brightest young stars has been considered the most influential figure in Joe Biden's cabinet.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2024
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The story, which will be staged at the Brown Theater on Nov. 15 and 17, follows a young Japanese girl named Cio-Cio-San, known as Madama Butterfly, who is faced with the aftermath of trusting and marrying an American naval officer, the reckless pleasure-seeking B.F. Pinkerton.Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The former guerrilla turned climate crusader took office as President in 2022 promising to phase out fossil fuels, no small project for a nation where more than 50% of exports come from oil and coal.Justin Worland/Bogotá, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024
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The roots of this conflict began in the early 1970s, when the PLO started targeting Israel from neighboring Jordan in a guerrilla warfare campaign.Ibrahim Al-Marashi / Made by History, TIME, 1 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The Israel-Hamas war began due to a deadly attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group on Oct. 7, 2023, leaving nearly 1,200 people dead.Tara Suter, The Hill, 21 Nov. 2024
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Topline The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defense minister Yoav Gallant and a high-ranking Hamas official, accusing the three leaders of war crimes during Israel’s war with the militant group.Ty Roush, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The footage shows a local in an orange shirt, guiding advancing Russian troops to a basement where Ukrainian soldiers were hiding.Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 27 Nov. 2024
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Biden's decision was spurred by the Russian decision to invite 10,000 North Korean soldiers into the fight against Ukraine in Kursk.Ryan Morik, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
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In a word, even before yesterday, Donbas was well on its way to becoming Ukraine’s Bosnia -- with Putin playing the part of Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, Russia playing the part of Serbia, and Putin’s Donbas supporters playing the part of Bosnian Serb irregulars.Alexander J. Motyl, Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2014
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But when strong-arm tactics by security irregulars failed to suppress the massive demonstrations in Tahrir Square, the senior officer corps, who regarded themselves foremost as guardians of the first Egyptian revolution, sent Mubarak into retirement.Robert H. Pelletreau, Foreign Affairs, 24 Feb. 2011
Noun
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When that pitch was discarded, Nick Cave was brought in to try a more ambitious approach, a fantasy version in which Maximus returned as an immortal warrior who would reappear at major moments throughout history, all the way up to World War II.Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
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Linda McMahon did not position herself as a staunch culture warrior in her Senate campaigns.Christopher R. Marsicano, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near paramilitary
Cite this Entry
“Paramilitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paramilitary. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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