Taliban

American  

[tal-uh-ban] / ˈtæl əˌbæn /

noun

1. a Muslim fundamentalist group in Afghanistan.

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Taliban British  

/ ˈtælɪbæn /

noun

1. (in Afghanistan) a fundamentalist Islamic army: in 1996 it defeated the ruling mujaheddin factions and seized control of the country; overthrown in 2001 by US-led forces, although reistance continues, esp in the south

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Etymology

Origin of Taliban

C20: from Arabic tāliban seekers

Example Sentences

He was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2023 for his coverage of the war in Ukraine and in 2022 for the coverage of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, among other honors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

In 2022, South Korea helped roughly 400 Afghans leave their country after the Taliban seized power, but it designated them as “special contributors” rather than refugees because they had employment ties with South Korean agencies.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

There are divisions within the Taliban government on the issue of women's education which have been evident to us, but the supreme leader has only hardened his stance through the years.

From BBC • May 24, 2026

Fitrat also points to Taliban plans "to reduce poverty and create jobs by implementing major economic projects", naming a few infrastructure and mining projects.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

I still wore my blue-and-white shalwar kamiz, but the Taliban said girls should not wear the white shalwar.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai