militia
noun
mi·li·tia
mə-ˈli-shə 
plural militias
1
a
: a part of the organized armed forces of a country liable to call only in emergency
The militia was called to quell the riot.
b
: a body of citizens organized for military service
2
: the whole body of able-bodied male citizens declared by law as being subject to call to military service
3
: a private group of armed individuals that operates as a paramilitary force and is typically motivated by a political or religious ideology
specifically
: such a group that aims to defend individual rights against government authority that is perceived as oppressive
Examples of militia in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Striking them also sends a message to the militia's backers in Iran and to U.S. regional allies, including Gulf states as well as Israel.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
The Rapid Support Forces and allied militias launched an offensive on the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps and the nearby city of El Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur province, on Friday, said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Iraq is seeking to balance its alliances with both America and Iran in its dealing with the militias on its soil.
—Ahmed Rasheed, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
Swathes of the country lie outside the control of the military junta and are a run by a patchwork of ethnic rebels and militias, making compiling reliable information extremely difficult.
—Eve Brennan, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for militia
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.
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
The Rapid Support Forces and allied militias launched an offensive on the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps and the nearby city of El Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur province, on Friday, said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Iraq is seeking to balance its alliances with both America and Iran in its dealing with the militias on its soil.
—Ahmed Rasheed, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
Swathes of the country lie outside the control of the military junta and are a run by a patchwork of ethnic rebels and militias, making compiling reliable information extremely difficult.
—Eve Brennan, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for militia
Cite this Entry
“Militia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/militia. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
militia
noun
mi·li·tia
mə-ˈlish-ə
: a body of citizens with some military training who are called to active duty only in an emergency
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share