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
Henry proposed resolutions on the need for defense, in part by establishing a militia in Virginia.
—
Cassandra Good, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
Amid a new round of clashes between U.S. forces and Iraqi militias following the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023, Biden reached a deal with Baghdad in September to begin pulling troops out of the country between September 2025 and September 2026.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
Nasrallah led Hezbollah, a Lebanese militia and political party, for decades before he was killed by an Israeli strike last year.
—Doha Madani, NBC News, 17 Mar. 2025
Another examined Israel’s role in the 1982 massacre, by a Lebanese Christian militia, of Palestinians in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila in Beirut.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 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.
Cassandra Good, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
Amid a new round of clashes between U.S. forces and Iraqi militias following the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023, Biden reached a deal with Baghdad in September to begin pulling troops out of the country between September 2025 and September 2026.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
Nasrallah led Hezbollah, a Lebanese militia and political party, for decades before he was killed by an Israeli strike last year.
—Doha Madani, NBC News, 17 Mar. 2025
Another examined Israel’s role in the 1982 massacre, by a Lebanese Christian militia, of Palestinians in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila in Beirut.
—Gershom Gorenberg, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 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 28 Mar. 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