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
As did most of the 4,500 caught in the region as feds traveled willy-nilly originally from their base at Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago, like roving bands of masked brigands seeking human loot.
—
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
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
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
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
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
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
-
The story revolves around Davis, the sort of gentleman bandit who thoughtfully returns his victims’ cell phones before making his departure and who, in the grand tradition of cinematic thieves, is looking to get out of the business after that last big score.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Fleeing into the desert with her father, she is hunted by a merciless army and forced to trust a legendary bandit (Mackie) with secrets of his own.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
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
-
Fans are not just remembering this historic home run, but rather a humble pirate who spent his entire career here in Pittsburgh.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
As such, the Italian fighter pilot now spends most of his time as a bounty hunter hired to attack air pirates.—
Danny Horn,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE has new funding to expand detention space to keep these criminals off American streets before they are removed for good from our communities.—
Jeff Capellini,
CBS News,
20 Feb. 2026
-
His office is more concerned about arresting police officers than prosecuting criminals.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The kid is an assassin, just like Jordan.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Phoenix Raei joined The Night Agent as Dale, an assassin who is Ellen's lover and partner in crime.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And its outlaw sensibility resonated with young audiences in the late‘60s.—
Mark Athitakis,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The outlaw cats are the ones that sneak into dorm rooms and classrooms, sometimes jumping up onto chairs while classes are in session.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
According to multiple people briefed on the discussions, the committee could propose to remove the carryover suspension part of the punishment for first-time offenders on second-half targeting penalties, leaving in place a 15-yard penalty and ejection.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2026
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What emerged, Jackson told the court Thursday, was the portrait of a transient and calculating offender who operated across multiple states and evaded law enforcement for years.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As a state lawmaker, Kifowit won renown for her brave willingness to stand up against former House Speaker-now-felon Michael Madigan, going so far as to challenge him for speaker in 2020.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
In 2018, he was sentenced to another 10 years for possession of a firearm as a felon.—
Jim Beaugez,
Rolling Stone,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brigand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brigand. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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