gangland

noun

gang·​land ˈgaŋ-ˌland How to pronounce gangland (audio)
-lənd
: the world of organized crime
a gangland killing

Examples of gangland in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Los Angeles Times reported that in 1974, there were more gangland-style killings in Vegas than there had been in all the prior 25 years combined. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 23 June 2026 The gangland drama is deeper and darker than the domestic one, strengthened by the unexpected portrayal of the Russian toughs as bumbling in their own way. Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026 Chime, his 2024 horror short, and Serpent’s Path (1998), the dark gangland thriller, are currently screening in arthouse cinemas in major cities across the country courtesy of Janus. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026 Framing wise guys on murder charges for Whitey Bulger, looking the other way on a gangland hit by a BPD detective in Canton in 1976, the list of scandals is too great to even list them all. Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 14 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gangland

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gangland was in 1912

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gangland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gangland. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

gangland

noun
gang·​land ˈgaŋ-ˌland How to pronounce gangland (audio)
-lənd
: the world of organized crime

Legal Definition

gangland

noun
gang·​land ˈgaŋ-ˌland How to pronounce gangland (audio)
often attributive
: the world of organized crime

More from Merriam-Webster on gangland

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster