as in gangster
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the Mob boss regularly sent his thugs after people who were slow to pay their debts
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of thug
White thugs destroyed it in the 1921 Race Massacre.
—
Jasmine Desiree,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Cabello, once Maduro's chief thug, can now be seen sitting across from high level Trump officials in meetings discussing business deals.
—
Margaret Brennan,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.
—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Mayor vows to catch 'thugs who did this' Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards promised that law enforcement will catch the people responsible for the violence at the mall.
—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thug
Jasmine Desiree,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Cabello, once Maduro's chief thug, can now be seen sitting across from high level Trump officials in meetings discussing business deals.
—
Margaret Brennan,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.
—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Mayor vows to catch 'thugs who did this' Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards promised that law enforcement will catch the people responsible for the violence at the mall.
—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thug
Noun
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The 16 reputed gangsters or aspiring gangsters charged in the indictment range in age from 19 to 24.
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That’s not to say that there aren’t some similarities between the Gotham City gangster in The Penguin and Los Angeles private investigator of Sugar.
Noun
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What begins as a chance to escape the routine of his everyday life quickly spirals into a dangerous gathering of powerful criminals, old enemies, and unresolved loyalties.
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That creates the perfect opening for criminals.
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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As a pirate assassin and post-apocalyptic warrior, Krem of the Yellow Hills connects with Aries.
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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.
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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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.
Noun
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In the past decade, the leadership of the Kinahan organization has become rich and cosmopolitan, and their life styles have started to resemble those of international businessmen more than of street hoodlums.
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The Knesset recently legalized the death penalty for Arabs who murder Jews, but not for the hoodlum Israeli settlers who have been killing West Bank residents to seize their land.
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.
Cite this Entry
“Thug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thug. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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