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
Set during the Central African Republic’s civil war in 2013, the film centers on a desperate Muslim man seeking refuge in a field hospital on Christmas Eve, while a threatening Christian militia gathers outside, demanding his life.
—
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2025
Williams regularly berated the militia’s rank and file.
—Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica, 4 Jan. 2025
The Pentagon says that China's Coast Guard has the largest maritime law enforcement fleet in the world, with over 150 vessels that are more than 1,000 tons, while the Chinese maritime militia assists the country's navy and Coast Guard in asserting maritime claims.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
According to Global Rescue, an international medical and security evacuation service, these older laws were reinforced after the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, when an Islamist militia used satellite communicators to coordinate bombings and shootings that killed nearly 200 people.
—Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 31 Dec. 2024
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.
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2025
Williams regularly berated the militia’s rank and file.
—Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica, 4 Jan. 2025
The Pentagon says that China's Coast Guard has the largest maritime law enforcement fleet in the world, with over 150 vessels that are more than 1,000 tons, while the Chinese maritime militia assists the country's navy and Coast Guard in asserting maritime claims.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
According to Global Rescue, an international medical and security evacuation service, these older laws were reinforced after the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, when an Islamist militia used satellite communicators to coordinate bombings and shootings that killed nearly 200 people.
—Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for militia
Articles Related to militia
The Words of the Week - October 18
Dictionary lookups from the election, the night sky, and Indigenous Peoples' Day
The Words of the Week - 3/5/2021
Some of the words that defined the week ending March 5, 2021
The Words of the Week - 10/9/20
Some of the words that defined the week ending October 9, 2020
Dictionary Entries Near militia
Cite this Entry
“Militia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/militia. Accessed 18 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share