guerrilla

plural guerrillas · alternative obsolete guerilla

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 more examples

   From the start of its operations in Colombia, the company was on guard against the decadeslong civil strife in the country between left-wing guerrilla and right-wing paramilitary groups, witnesses have testified.

   2007 July 13, Kyle Whitmire, “Suit in U.S. Over Murders in Colombia”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2021

   After a harsh police crackdown last week fueled anger and swelled protests, President Dilma Rousseff, a former guerrilla who was imprisoned under the dictatorship and has now become the target of pointed criticism herself, tried to appease dissenters by embracing their cause on Tuesday.

   2013 June 18, Simon Romero, “Protests Widen as Brazilians Chide Leaders”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 11 Aug 2020, retrieved 21 Jun 2013

   Synonyms: guerrillero

2. archaicA non-official war carried out by small independent groups; a guerrilla war.
3. A marketer who uses guerrilla marketing techniques.
4. A maker of guerrilla television.

comparative more guerrilla · superlative most guerrilla · alternative obsolete guerilla

1. governmentRelating to, using, or typical of guerrilla warfare, or its principles of small independent or non-official perpetrators.

   The Slovak uprising in the latter days was not guerrilla in character, which, incidentally, may have been one of the reasons for its failure.

   1976, Walter Laqueur, Guerrilla Warfare, page 205

   2 more examples

   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.'

   1908, George Devereux Oswell, chapter VII, in Sketches of Rulers of India, volume I, page 127

   On the other hand, after the fall of Feng Ling Tu, the operations of Central Shansi, and Suiyuan, troops were more guerrilla than orthodox in nature.

   1963, Samuel B. Griffith (translator), Mao Zedong, The Red Book of Guerrilla Warfare, edited by Shawn Conners, published 2010, page 14, original 1937

2. businessRelating 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.

   1989, Michael Wiese, Film & video marketing, page 445

   2 more examples

   "Mozilla's marketing has been very guerrilla. You're not seeing it spend millions of dollars on TV. Instead, it's a powerful ground swell.

   2005 February 28, “Firefox Continues To Chip Away At IE's Share”, in InformationWeek

   My style is more guerrilla. I grew up in a village, a very suppressed environment. I was like one of those young kids who hated the whole conventional way of doing things. So when I started to make films it was very hand-made, very fast.

   2010 February 26, “A serious woman”, in The Times

3. Using unconventional, non-traditional, non-mainstream and often subversive practices to achieve something.

   guerrilla tourism

   4 more examples

   guerrilla marketing

   guerrilla gardening

   The Boston demonstration, which will feature singing and guerrilla theatre, will begin at 12 noon in front of the Park Street Subway station.

   1976 April 3, “April 8 Set for 'Grand Jury Three' Protest March”, in Gay Community News, page 8

   Jackass’s guerrilla, nonnarrative format

   2022, Marisol Cortez, “Ambivalent Anality: Revisiting the Queer Ecology of "the Jackass Moment"”, in Media+Environment