as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
a gang of ruffians preying upon people who ventured into that section of town
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruffian
When both young people meet their end the Baron saves Christina by putting Hans’ brain in Christina’s body, uniting their blurred identities in a joint thirst for revenge, creating a Gothic avenger who hunts down the aristocratic ruffians who ruined their happiness.
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Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Friends and neighbors worried that these rumors could attract dangerous young ruffians who might harm them and steal the money.
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Mara Bovsun,
New York Daily News,
15 Dec. 2024
Then again, the fight scene did that on its own, sounding more refined than ruffian.
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Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Sep. 2024
Troy Stecher is a puck-mover with some two-way ability but is not considered a ruffian in the corners and in front of the net.
—
Allan Mitchell,
The Athletic,
9 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ruffian
Rory Doherty,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Friends and neighbors worried that these rumors could attract dangerous young ruffians who might harm them and steal the money.
—
Mara Bovsun,
New York Daily News,
15 Dec. 2024
Then again, the fight scene did that on its own, sounding more refined than ruffian.
—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Sep. 2024
Troy Stecher is a puck-mover with some two-way ability but is not considered a ruffian in the corners and in front of the net.
—
Allan Mitchell,
The Athletic,
9 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ruffian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruffian
Noun
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Ditto Hugh Jackman’s unerring performance — perhaps his finest dramatic work yet — as a savage, unfeeling thug and unrepentant murderer and thief.
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The actions of these thugs, who should be imprisoned for a long while, is the cause of denying real Knicks fans the chance to watch the game communally.
Noun
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The immigrant-threat frame offers a quicker villain and a simpler solution to persistent social problems such as violent crime.
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The new production will follow Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo from their comic book origins to becoming global pop culture icons, battling familiar villains along the way.
Noun
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This makes your accounts much harder to break into, even if a criminal gets control of your phone number.
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And historically, denaturalization has been reserved for the most egregious offenders, such as human rights abusers and violent criminals.
Noun
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The tree is said to have sheltered Robin Hood, the legendary 13th-century bandit who stole from the rich and gave to the poor and took refuge in the forest when being pursued by the sheriff of Nottingham.
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The tree is said to have sheltered Robin Hood, the legendary 13th-century bandit who stole from the rich and gave to the poor and took refuge in the forest when being pursued by the sheriff of Nottingham.
Noun
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Neither immigrant family should be linked to violent gangsters, of course.
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By telling a relatively straightforward story that blends real people from the era of the Gotti Mafia family with imagined characters, Martin Scorsese's dramedy biopic about a kid who falls in love with the gangster life is as even-keeled as anything the director has made.
Noun
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There's even some sympathy for the vengeful pirate character.
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Tyland may have gotten Triarchy pirate Admiral Sharako Lohar on Team Green’s side, but at his core this man is a coward.
Noun
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The report’s key finding was that an odd, angry, 24-year-old assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, had acted alone, for reasons nobody could quite figure out.
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Unfortunately, Daemon’s hired assassins killed Aegon’s young son Jaehaerys instead so any real possibility for a family reconciliation was lost.
Noun
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Unlike some other luggage tags, this option only displays your name, keeping the rest of your information shielded from curious onlookers and potential thieves.
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Last year, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that thieves had pried off a bronze plaque dedicating the building to the history of philadelphia from its main entrance.
Cite this Entry
“Ruffian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruffian. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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