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 video, which was played for Lefkow on Tuesday, showed an unidentified man standing out at 26th Street and Spauling Avenue asking where all the gangbangers were.
—
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
Who signed off on gangbanger LaMar Cook being granted access to ship eight pounds of blow directly to Maura’s office suite in Springfield, as well as another 19 pounds of coke to a hotel on the UMass-Amherst campus?
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 29 Nov. 2025
Murdered within about six months of each other at the height of their fame in the 1990s, their deaths spawned conspiracy theories of hitmen, coverups and cops on gangbangers’ payrolls.
—Veronica Bravo, USA Today, 7 Sep. 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
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
Who signed off on gangbanger LaMar Cook being granted access to ship eight pounds of blow directly to Maura’s office suite in Springfield, as well as another 19 pounds of coke to a hotel on the UMass-Amherst campus?
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 29 Nov. 2025
Murdered within about six months of each other at the height of their fame in the 1990s, their deaths spawned conspiracy theories of hitmen, coverups and cops on gangbangers’ payrolls.
—Veronica Bravo, USA Today, 7 Sep. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangbanger
Noun
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Also, consider how much more cash her thug husband’s company, Conan Harris & Associates, will be raking in if the Democrats regain control of the House next year.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
5 Dec. 2025
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No single step would have a greater effect on the Venezuelan military, intelligence services, and police than removing Diosdado Cabello, the regime’s chief thug, who is currently serving as interior minister and thus controls the police.—
Elliott Abrams,
Foreign Affairs,
20 Nov. 2025
Noun
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With her crude French and slightly out-of-place mannerisms, Patricia is the young, beautiful American expatriate drawn to this wannabe gangster who idolizes Humphrey Bogart and yet seems so quintessentially French.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
4 Dec. 2025
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Back in New York, following Marty’s unimaginable defeat in London, Abel Ferrara appears as a scuzzy street-level gangster who entrusts Marty and his taxi-driving best friend Wally (Tyler Okonma) with his near feral dog.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
1 Dec. 2025
Noun
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These people are vital to the Florida economy, yet they are being rounded up like criminals.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Aug. 2025
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The criminals are watching and waiting for the next soft target.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Clutching a mysterious tool the shape of a mouse coffin, Firth’s villain tracks Daniel’s location by mentally transplanting himself into another person’s body, changing the color of their pupils to his own icy blue.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
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Will Victor Wembanyama continue his villain turn at MSG?—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
10 June 2026
Noun
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At this point in the story, Chihiro was at the top of a Kyoto hotel, protecting a high-school girl named Iori from a sorcerer-assassin named Hiruhiko.—
Matt Alt,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
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Crowe is now the face of the Nutria Rodeo, serving as ambassador, hostess, emcee, and hired assassin.—
Nathaniel Rich,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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And what gives her purpose is meeting Ruthye, who’s also endured tragedy, and wants to avenge her family’s death at the hands of the bandit Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
20 May 2026
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In Qing Dynasty-era China, a renowned warrior, Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat), tries to track down the bandit who ambushed Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) and made off with Li Mu Bai’s Green Destiny sword.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gangbanger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangbanger. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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