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
The foxes are a legacy of the 2006 war between Lebanon's Hezbollah militia and Israel, when the animals moved down to the coast to escape fighting in the hills.
—
Jane Arraf, NPR, 22 Jan. 2025
Trump commuted the sentence of Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right militia group Oath Keepers.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025
The Israeli strike on Iran in late October deterred the Iranians from further retaliating and led the Shia militias in Iraq to stop their attacks on Israel.
—Barak Ravid, Axios, 19 Jan. 2025
The latest proposal to repeal Idaho’s longstanding ban on armed private militias received approval on Friday for future consideration this legislative session.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 17 Jan. 2025
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Jane Arraf, NPR, 22 Jan. 2025
Trump commuted the sentence of Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right militia group Oath Keepers.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025
The Israeli strike on Iran in late October deterred the Iranians from further retaliating and led the Shia militias in Iraq to stop their attacks on Israel.
—Barak Ravid, Axios, 19 Jan. 2025
The latest proposal to repeal Idaho’s longstanding ban on armed private militias received approval on Friday for future consideration this legislative session.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for militia
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Dictionary Entries Near militia
Cite this Entry
“Militia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/militia. Accessed 29 Jan. 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
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