What does "guerrilla" mean?
A soldier in a small independent group, fighting against the government or regular forces by surprise raids.
Guerrilla
/ɡəˈɹɪlə/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A soldier in a small independent group, fighting against the government or regular forces by surprise raids.
- Grammar: guerrilla is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: insurgent, irregular, asymmetric, bushfighter.
- Useful contrasts: conventional, conventional warfare, formal.
- Usage evidence: In reports in America, guerrilla resistance by the Iraq military is called terrorism.
How to use "guerrilla"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "guerrilla" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "guerrilla" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "guerrilla" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "guerrilla" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "guerrilla" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "insurgent" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "guerrilla", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A soldier in a small independent group, fighting against the government or regular forces by surprise raids.
"The right-wing paramilitary's offensive against the Marxist guerrillas failed because they did not know the terrain well enough."
- 2 a member of an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment wordnet
- 3 A non-official war carried out by small independent groups; a guerrilla war. archaic
- 4 A marketer who uses guerrilla marketing techniques.
- 5 A maker of guerrilla television.
Adjective
- 1 Relating to, using, or typical of guerrilla warfare, or its principles of small independent or non-official perpetrators.
"Wherever Nicholson was most wanted, there he was sure to be found. What his life was at this time may be seen from a letter he wrote to his mother: 'I am leading a very guerrilla sort of life with seven hundred horse and foot raised among the people of the country. The chieftain who is in rebellion has eight regular regiments and sixteen guns, so that I am unable to meet them openly in the field.'"
- 2 Relating to, using, or typical of guerrilla marketing.
"We took a very guerrilla approach to marketing Goin' Hollywood, in keeping with the irreverent tone of the game."
- 3 Using unconventional, non-traditional, non-mainstream and often subversive practices to achieve something.
"guerrilla marketing"
Antonyms
Example
"In reports in America, guerrilla resistance by the Iraq military is called terrorism."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "guerrilla"?
Common synonyms include: insurgent, irregular, asymmetric, bushfighter, bushwhacker, casual.
How do you use "guerrilla" in a sentence?
In reports in America, guerrilla resistance by the Iraq military is called terrorism.
How do you pronounce "guerrilla"?
Pronounced /ɡəˈɹɪlə/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish guerrilla, diminutive of guerra (“war”), coined during the Peninsular War.