as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
London bobbies clearing the streets of hooligans
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hooligan
Initially, police believed the attack on Brobbey’s car to be intimidation from hooligans associated with Feyenoord, the Rotterdam club who are Ajax’s fiercest rivals.
—
Simon Hughes, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
The way his Liverpool Scouse accent sludges across the track with a kind of soccer hooligan attitude could convert the most red-blooded NFL fan into a Champions League lifer.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
The cries mixed with disturbances, the chants of encouragement with shouts from the police and hooligans.
—Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
The film stars Boon as Tommy, a 19-year-old hooligan who wakes up from an all-night bender in the basement of a strange suburban home, bound with a chain around his neck.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hooligan
Simon Hughes, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
The way his Liverpool Scouse accent sludges across the track with a kind of soccer hooligan attitude could convert the most red-blooded NFL fan into a Champions League lifer.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
The cries mixed with disturbances, the chants of encouragement with shouts from the police and hooligans.
—Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
The film stars Boon as Tommy, a 19-year-old hooligan who wakes up from an all-night bender in the basement of a strange suburban home, bound with a chain around his neck.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hooligan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hooligan
Noun
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The Democrats, though, have no problems releasing all these bloodthirsty thugs back into the neighborhood.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
4 Mar. 2026
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In a season 3 teaser, Peter saves Suraj Sharma's Jay Batra from some thugs at a soccer stadium.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Whatley said those policies threaten law enforcement officers and public safety, arguing that criminals belong behind bars and pledging to continue backing law enforcement.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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The decisive action of the Mexican government is positive for families on both sides of the border who suffer the devastating consequences of the activities of these transnational criminals.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Yes, this is a script that figured a big-budget gangster-monster epic could also manage to fit a screwball buddy comedy.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
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After a career defined by playing gangsters, an avenging taxi driver and a paranoid prize fighter, the Oscar-winning actor recited a call for civility, as first spoken by Abraham Lincoln.—
Hillel Italie,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Police arrested one of four snowball bandits caught on camera clobbering the cops with snow.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
28 Feb. 2026
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These proposals reflect hardening congressional sentiment toward Abuja at a moment when jihadist and bandit violence has impacted millions across the region.—
Adrian Elimian,
semafor.com,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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There’s also a Nazi villain, a band director from hell and even a Joker.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
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Also in the Lanterns cast is Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, a chief Green Lantern villain of DC Comics; Garret Dillahunt as William Macon, described as a modern cowboy; and Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe, a potential love interest for John.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The first pictures McCullin took were of hoodlums and down-and-outs, subjects that reflected his own hardscrabble background.—
Andrew Pulver,
Air Mail,
31 Jan. 2026
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But as Duterte’s father, Vicente, had increasingly gravitated toward Malacañang, his son hung out with the family bodyguards—and crafted the persona of a rough-talking bugoy, or hoodlum, in his native Bisayan tongue.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Once known for its pirate history, the town now serves as a base for rafting, kayaking, and zip-lining above the canyon.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
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The third, Thomas Jefferson, fought the Barbary pirates without a formal declaration.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hooligan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hooligan. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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