as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the argument that the DEA needs to focus more on the kingpins of the drug trade and less on the gangbangers in the street
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Recent Examples of gangbanger
The gangbangers allegedly smashed a victim's head open with a glass bottle of tequila, leaving him with severe lacerations to his face and nerve damage.
—
Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
The indictment against the gangbangers, which was unsealed on June 16, follows a Fox News Digital report from April revealing that local leaders were sounding the alarm about the 18th Street Gang sweeping in to take control of the area.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
During the public comment period at an October meeting, a concerned community member told the Cudahy City Council that his neighborhood is plagued by drug dealing and gangbangers.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 27 June 2025
In that film, Ice Cube is Doughboy, a gangbanger who loses first his brother and then his own life, both offerings in a fatalistic cycle of street vengeance.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 June 2025
The high court said that while the gangbangers were entitled to a habeas corpus hearing before being booted, the hearings had to be held where the gang members are.
—Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 12 Apr. 2025
Continue reading … Click here for more cartoons… MEDIA
RETURN TO SENDER – Bondi's warning to those not all in on America as Dems push gangbanger’s return to US.
—FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Green was living with extended family in North Carolina, then lived in a domestic violence shelter and a homeless shelter when his mother regained custody, then was placed into foster care before living with a cousin whose sons were gangbangers.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 6 Mar. 2025
The gangbangers are accused of waging a bloody two-year turf war resulting in five victims in nine shooting incidents, including a wounded man who was paralyzed from the waist down, according to authorities.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 5 Dec. 2024
Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
The indictment against the gangbangers, which was unsealed on June 16, follows a Fox News Digital report from April revealing that local leaders were sounding the alarm about the 18th Street Gang sweeping in to take control of the area.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
During the public comment period at an October meeting, a concerned community member told the Cudahy City Council that his neighborhood is plagued by drug dealing and gangbangers.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 27 June 2025
In that film, Ice Cube is Doughboy, a gangbanger who loses first his brother and then his own life, both offerings in a fatalistic cycle of street vengeance.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 June 2025
The high court said that while the gangbangers were entitled to a habeas corpus hearing before being booted, the hearings had to be held where the gang members are.
—Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 12 Apr. 2025
Continue reading … Click here for more cartoons… MEDIA
RETURN TO SENDER – Bondi's warning to those not all in on America as Dems push gangbanger’s return to US.
—FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Green was living with extended family in North Carolina, then lived in a domestic violence shelter and a homeless shelter when his mother regained custody, then was placed into foster care before living with a cousin whose sons were gangbangers.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 6 Mar. 2025
The gangbangers are accused of waging a bloody two-year turf war resulting in five victims in nine shooting incidents, including a wounded man who was paralyzed from the waist down, according to authorities.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 5 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangbanger
Noun
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Peace isn’t easy to come by, though the motorcycle thugs who swing by to bully the locals and squeeze money out of the businesses don’t offer much resistance.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
15 Aug. 2025
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As the ship prepared to leave port, the G men arrived, handcuffed the thug and dragged him away.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The book was about how his father chose conventional family values over the life of a gangster.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
2 Aug. 2025
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That audio clip has been shared some 60,000 times on TikTok, often by Venezuelans ridiculing the notion that everybody from their country is a gangster.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
23 July 2025
Noun
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The Saturday Night Live alum, 31, and Beverly Hills Cop actor, 64, star in the action-comedy The Pickup as Travis and Russell, two security guards whose vehicle is hijacked by Zoe (Keke Palmer), a criminal on a mission to avenge her dad by robbing a casino.—
Rebecca Aizin,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Neighborhoods where residents get out and meet each other and know their law enforcement are safer and discourage criminals — that’s the thinking behind the National Night Out campaign.—
Heather McRea,
Oc Register,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Temuera Morrison plays a terrific villain as the murderous King Kahekili.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Living with the aftermath Smollett in Episode 9 Courtesy of Apple TV+ Lehane never set out to create a simple morality tale with clear heroes and villains.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The deal paves the way for new installments for Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne, a CIA assassin suffering from amnesia.—
Katcy Stephan,
Variety,
13 Aug. 2025
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Bloodsport, being an assassin who has a change of heart and becomes a hero, while also having a deep rat phobia, was fantastic.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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An anonymous tipster called police to say the bandits were trying to sell their loot less than a mile away, and gave the cops Hussein’s Instagram handle, according to court filings.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
12 Aug. 2025
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Industrialists like Rockefeller and Carnegie weren’t worried about horseback bandits; their focus was on land rights, freight monopolies and who controlled the rails.—
Jodi Daniels,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gangbanger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangbanger. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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