mercenaries

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.

Mali imported Russia’s Wagner mercenaries in 2022, in a failed attempt to swiftly suffocate the local Islamist insurgency that has since emerged as al Qaeda’s most successful and resilient offshoot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Haftar feared Moscow’s mercenaries could attempt a coup against his rebel faction, as they had tried in Russia itself, Libyan and European officials have previously said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

It flew in its Wagner mercenaries to support his forces and used his territory as its logistical access point to half-a-dozen sub-Saharan countries where it scooped up valuable reserves of gold, diamond and timber.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

In the extracts we've seen, some openly acknowledged the use of mercenaries, or as they called them, "boatmen."

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

These forces did, on occasion, help some to get ahead, and they appeared courageous in combat with other mercenaries.

From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli