guerilla
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Explanation
The word guerilla is another way to spell "guerrilla": a member of a small, loosely organized army that fights a larger, stronger force. If you're a guerilla, you confront enemies unexpectedly and use tactics such as sabotage, raids, and ambushes. A guerilla is not a member of a state-sponsored army. Instead he or she is part of a smaller, independent army that fights a larger, more established force by using tactics that include the element of surprise. Also known as an insurgent or irregular, a guerilla usually exists outside mainstream society and typically has taken a position of active revolt or rebellion against the established ruling power.
Vocabulary lists containing guerilla
South America - Middle School
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Africa - Middle School
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Prince (1958-2016) Tribute List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Smita Dahal, granddaughter of a three-time prime minister and former Maoist guerilla leader, who was criticised for showing off her expensive handbag collection, has her Instagram account set to private.
From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2026
It claimed he established a secret guerilla headquarters on the forested slopes, siring his son there between battles with the Japanese.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 10, 2023
She founded an organization that defended former military officers who were put on trial and participated in rallies involving relatives of victims of terrorist attacks committed in the 1970s by leftist guerilla groups.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 21, 2023
In the interim, he has become a famous anti-tech guerilla artist who goes by the handle Fangs, which doesn’t at all sound like Banksy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2023
“Even if you could sacrifice everything,” he said, “which I don’t doubt you can do, I still think guerilla fighting is not for you.”
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
