rogues' gallery

noun

: a collection of pictures of persons arrested as criminals

also : a collection or list likened to a rogues' gallery

Example Sentences

a rogues' gallery of dictators a rogues' gallery of deadly viruses

Recent Examples on the Web Then there’s the rogues' gallery of antagonistic Norse gods working with Odin to bring about Ragnarök. —

Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 3 Nov. 2022 Benoit Blanc must contend with a rogues' gallery of suspects, each with secrets of their own. —

Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 8 Sep. 2022 In a year the Joker would push plain-clothes villains to the side and set a new template for the hero's over-the-top rogues' gallery. —

Oliver Sava, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2022 Carnage post-credits scene suggests that Hardy's Venom may be joining that rogues' gallery and also popping up in No Way Home — or potentially another film down the line. —

Devan Coggan, EW.com, 1 Oct. 2021 The show works hard to embed its main characters in a down-to-earth setting — but almost nothing about Superman's classic rogues' gallery is down to earth. —

Darren Franich, EW.com, 24 Feb. 2021 Their lineup is a rogues' gallery of local dirt-rock luminaries: Hannah Hazard and Madalyn Garcia of Lil Tits, Adam Luksetich of Foul Tip, and Ryan Wizniak of Meat Wave. —

Leor Galil, Chicago Reader, 16 May 2018 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rogues' gallery.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of rogues' gallery was in 1859

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rogues' gallery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rogues%27%20gallery. Accessed 31 Jan. 2023.

Copy Citation