Taliban

plural noun

Tal·​i·​ban ˈtä-li-ˌbän How to pronounce Taliban (audio)
ˈta-li-ˌban
: a fundamentalist Islamic militia in Afghanistan

Examples of Taliban in a Sentence

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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.
The country has long had one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, now exacerbated by the Taliban’s ban on medical training for women and the requirement that women patients be accompanied to appointments by a male guardian. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026 Tens of thousands of Afghans swarming Abbey Gate, their only way out after Kabul fell and the Taliban returned to power. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 And think about Afghanistan as well, a huge military advantage there, but as US forces were finally being pulled out of there, the Taliban were once again taking control. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 These measures attracted widespread international condemnation, with several countries and the United Nations criticizing the Taliban’s treatment of women. — Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Taliban

Word History

Etymology

Pashto & Persian ṭālibān, plural of ṭālib student, seeker, from Arabic

First Known Use

1992, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Taliban was in 1992

Rhymes for Taliban

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Browse Nearby Words

tali
Taliban
taliera
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Cite this Entry

“Taliban.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Taliban. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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