gestapo

/ɡəˈstɑːpoʊ/
noun
  1. The secret police of Nazi Germany, known for its brutal methods and suppression of opposition.
    • The Gestapo arrested thousands of people suspected of resisting the Nazi regime.
    • In history class, we learned about the Gestapo's role in enforcing Nazi policies.
    • Many families lived in fear of a knock on the door from the Gestapo.
  2. Any secret police force or oppressive group that uses harsh methods to control people.
    • Citizens accused the new security agency of acting like a gestapo.
    • The dictator's gestapo silenced all political dissent through intimidation.
    • In the novel, the gestapo of the fictional state monitored every citizen's conversation.