hooliganism

noun

hoo·​li·​gan·​ism ˈhü-li-gə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce hooliganism (audio)
Synonyms of hooliganismnext
: rowdy, violent, or destructive behavior

Examples of hooliganism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Defuse hooliganism with grace, song, and love. Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026 Kuper suggests that, where English hooliganism represents a grotesque form of nostalgia, postwar Japanese civility is a pose predicated on collective amnesia about wartime atrocities. Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026 The police also said that administrative proceedings had been initiated for public drunkenness and minor hooliganism. Reuters, NBC news, 23 Jan. 2026 The film focused on an American who got involved in the brutal world of British football hooliganism. Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hooliganism

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hooliganism was in 1898

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Cite this Entry

“Hooliganism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hooliganism. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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