1. plural of mafia; organized crime groups or secret criminal organizations
2. groups of people who use their power or influence in a secretive or controlling way
Usage: informal

Examples

• The police investigated connections between several mafias operating in the city.
• Different mafias controlled various neighborhoods in the 1920s.
• The documentary explored how mafias influenced politics and business.
• Law enforcement agencies worked together to combat international mafias.
• He complained about the academic mafias that controlled university hiring.
• The journalist exposed the corporate mafias behind the scandal.
• Various mafias competed for control of the illegal gambling operations.