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
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
Trump responds after judge tries to stop deportation flights with violent gangbangers.
—Fox News, 17 Mar. 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
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
Trump responds after judge tries to stop deportation flights with violent gangbangers.
—Fox News, 17 Mar. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangbanger
Noun
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Ultra Man is sort of Lex's thug and is pretty powerful.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 June 2025
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This will reveal paid fake thugs posing as protesters becoming violent.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
Noun
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The all-star cast for the limited series includes Kevin Hart as Chicken Man, the organizer of the party, Taraji P. Henson as his right hand woman Vivian Thomas, Samuel L. Jackson as gangster Frank Moten, and Don Cheadle as J.D. Hudson, the cop trying to figure out who really orchestrated the crime.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
20 June 2025
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Creature With the Atom Brain sees a gangster force a German scientist to reanimate the dead with atomic radiation in order to pull off crimes (recalling both Frankenstein and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, films that fit neatly alongside the zombie genre).—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
18 June 2025
Noun
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With the help of a charming and ethnically diverse array of loveable colleagues, Peralta brings down criminals in entirely bingeable 22-minute chunks.—
Maris Kreizman,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2025
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According to his campaign website, some of his goals include increasing police presence, protecting undocumented immigrants but deporting violent criminals, taxing the rich, and eliminating waste.—
Emily Chang,
ABC News,
24 June 2025
Noun
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Two of the game’s most brilliant villains have matured into eloquent eulogists.—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
30 June 2025
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For an industry which has long been treated by the television and film industries as a dirty, dangerous business run by unethical, cartoon-ish villains like J.R. Ewing, such a balanced portrayal is a welcome change, indeed.—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Noun
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In the twilight of her career, Parker still showed flashes of the once baby-haired assassin who shook up the WNBA.—
Anthony De Leon,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
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The Day of the Jackal follows a professional British assassin called the Jackal (Eddie Redmayne), known only for his ruthless and mysterious methods, and Bianca Pullman (Lashana Lynch), an MI6 agent intent on hunting him down.—
Ryan Fleming,
Deadline,
19 June 2025
Noun
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To make matters even worse, snow pirates, survivalists, bandits, the colonial military force NEVEC, and other factions are fighting over land and resources.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
27 June 2025
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But the project is also right at home for Laika, as it’s set in a secret forest just outside of Laika’s home in Portland and follows a girl whose baby brother is taken into the forest, only to discover an exotic world of talking animals and bandits.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gangbanger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangbanger. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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