: an outlaw who lives by plunder
Examples of bandit in a Sentence
Anna Tingley, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024
Most of the groups, referred to locally as bandits, are behind an epidemic of mass kidnap-for-ransom attacks that have proliferated across Africa's most populous country, rising during one of the toughest economic periods in decades.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024
There’s also a Western he’s been trying to shoot, about bandits who terrorize a small town under the cover of a thunderstorm, and a doctor and sheriff who go out for revenge.
—Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
More than 300 students were taken early Thursday morning by armed bandits on motorcycles who stormed the LEA Primary and Secondary School in Kuriga village, in Kaduna’s Chikun district, the state’s police spokesman Mansur Hassan told CNN on Friday.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024
Residents told the local news media that bandits had carried out the second.
—Ruth MacLean, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024
Will Dune: Awakening have PvP? Players of Dune: Awakening can explore the epic landscapes of Arrakis from boundless, rolling dunes, ancient underground Ecology Labs and deep canyons where bandits seek easy prey.
—The Arizona Republic, 5 Mar. 2024
On March 7, more than 300 students were abducted by armed bandits on motorcycles who stormed the LEA Primary and Secondary School in Kuriga village, in Kaduna’s Chikun district, the state’s police spokesman Mansur Hassan told CNN at the time.
—Sophie Jeong, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
While researching his book, Zimmerman trekked through the Chinese countryside where the train was derailed and the hundreds of hostages were marched to the bandits’ hideaway.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bandit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
borrowed from Italian bandito (earlier in English also bandetto, probably by association with the Italian diminutive suffix -etto), noun derivative of bandito "put under a ban, outlawed, exiled," from past participle of bandire "(of a government or other authority) to announce, proclaim, proscribe, outlaw," probably borrowed (directly or via Old Occitan bandir) from Gothic bandwjan "to give a sign, show, reveal," derivative of bandwo "sign, signal" — more at band entry 3
Note: See also note at banderole.
1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing bandit
Dictionary Entries Near bandit
Cite this Entry
“Bandit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bandit. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
from Italian bandito, literally, "one who is banished"
More from Merriam-Webster on bandit
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bandit
Nglish: Translation of bandit for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of bandit for Arabic Speakers
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