as in bandit
formal + old-fashioned
a person who commits robbery usually as part of a group
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Recent Examples of brigand
Then rumors started spreading about armed brigands that would come to town to steal what little harvest folks had left, so towns raised militias to fight back.
—
Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2025
Captured by brigands, the immigrants are herded into a remote Libyan prison camp where they are tormented and tortured.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Feb. 2024
Saúl is a brigand while Isabella is a noblewoman, and the tale tells of the couple’s struggle as their families oppose their union.
—Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 10 Aug. 2022
Scavenger is a brigand Gawain encounters on his journey.
—BostonGlobe.com, 30 July 2021
The ruler tops out at seven feet six inches, suggesting an absolutely colossal brigand.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2021
Across the pastures, gangs of grandchildren ran like brigands.
—Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2019
As Robin Hood, Daniel Reese creates a flesh-and-blood version of the storybook character, imbuing the Middle Ages brigand with a conscience for the poor and some humorous frailties.
—Pam Kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, 31 July 2017
Looking eastward, the notion that Iran, which took hundreds of thousands of casualties in repelling an Iraqi juggernaut in the 1980s, is going to melt in terror in the face of several thousand ISIS brigands is absurd.
—Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2014
Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2025
Captured by brigands, the immigrants are herded into a remote Libyan prison camp where they are tormented and tortured.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Feb. 2024
Saúl is a brigand while Isabella is a noblewoman, and the tale tells of the couple’s struggle as their families oppose their union.
—Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 10 Aug. 2022
Scavenger is a brigand Gawain encounters on his journey.
—BostonGlobe.com, 30 July 2021
The ruler tops out at seven feet six inches, suggesting an absolutely colossal brigand.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2021
Across the pastures, gangs of grandchildren ran like brigands.
—Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2019
As Robin Hood, Daniel Reese creates a flesh-and-blood version of the storybook character, imbuing the Middle Ages brigand with a conscience for the poor and some humorous frailties.
—Pam Kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, 31 July 2017
Looking eastward, the notion that Iran, which took hundreds of thousands of casualties in repelling an Iraqi juggernaut in the 1980s, is going to melt in terror in the face of several thousand ISIS brigands is absurd.
—Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2014
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brigand
Noun
-
There can be no doubt that in tax terms, America’s wealthiest families make out like bandits.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The robbery lasted less than seven minutes, as the bandits used a truck with an extendable ladder to cut through a window on a second-floor balcony, according to police.—
Mason Leath,
ABC News,
27 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Shortly before midnight on May 23, 1798, highwaymen just north of Dublin intercepted and set on fire a mail coach headed to Belfast.—
Joseph Patrick Kelly,
The Conversation,
20 May 2025
-
The sybaritic highwayman Macheath maneuvers between a cutthroat capitalist milieu (Mr. and Mrs. Peachum) and a corrupt police force (led by Tiger Brown) while seducing daughters from both worlds (Polly Peachum and Lucy Brown).—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
These oil fields basically are pirate operations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Notorious pirate Jean Lafitte frequented neighboring Grand Terre Island in the early 1800s.—
Kristy Christiansen,
Southern Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The first thing to do is to reduce the damage to the United States, the inflow of guns and criminals and immigrants and drugs into the United States, the destabilizing of a key part of the Western Hemisphere.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Also, place freezes with ChexSystems and the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange to stop criminals from opening bank accounts, phone lines, or utility services in his name.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Though detectives conclude that assassin cult members Ash (Jon Pointing) and Dee Dee (Maeve Courtier-Lilley) were the ones who killed Aaron, Paige revealed that the real killer was Ingrid.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Maduro is being held in the same federal jail in Brooklyn as accused assassin Luigi Mangione.—
Michael Ruiz , Maria Paronich , Brendan McDonald,
FOXNews.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For his battle-worn, brooding rendition of the heroic outlaw in the A24 film, the Les Misérables actor shows off a long gray beard paired with silver locks—a far cry from other Robin Hoods portrayed by actors like Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and Russell Crowe.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
6 Jan. 2026
-
At 97% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, the pic stars Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Cary Elwes, Myha’la, Coleman Domingo and Al Pacino in a story inspired by the 1977 hostage standoff that turned aspiring entrepreneur Tony Kiritsis into an eccentric outlaw folk hero.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Boardman imposed a sentence of 97 months, citing Roske’s mental health and concerns about incarceration conditions and his status as a first-time criminal offender.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Since 2013, the law has allowed juvenile offenders serving life without parole to petition to have their sentence recalled and to be resentenced.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Wisch was charged with felonies, including three counts of home invasion, two counts of armed robbery, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.—
CBS Chicago Team,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
He was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon, police said.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brigand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brigand. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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