gangland

noun

gang·​land ˈgaŋ-ˌland 

-lənd

: the world of organized crime

a gangland killing

Examples of gangland in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Investigators compared the crime scene to a gangland execution, in which the brothers shot their father five times, including once in the back of the head. — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Jack seeks out every movie, book, and newspaper article about gangland. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026

In the years since Shakur's murder, what exactly happened in that hail of bullets -- and who pulled the trigger -- was obscured by a lack of physical evidence, feuding cops and the gangland code of silence. — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026

Many of these battles played out in fits of gangland violence. — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

gang entry 1 + land entry 1

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gangland

noun

gang·​land ˈgaŋ-ˌland 

-lənd

: the world of organized crime

Legal Definition

gangland

noun

gang·​land ˈgaŋ-ˌland 

often attributive

: the world of organized crime