1
as in teams
a group of people working together on a task
a gang of neighborhood residents spent the weekend cleaning up the park
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in cliques
a group of people sharing a common interest and relating together socially
the whole gang went out for pizza the school's computer hackers had their own little gang
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in Mafias
a group involved in secret or criminal activities
politicians promising to stop the growth of inner-city gangs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gangs
Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026
The men who spoke to NBC News, as well as the families of former detainees and their attorneys, strongly denied any ties to gangs and said they were unfairly targeted because of tattoos that may be popular in Venezuela and are unrelated to Tren de Aragua.
—Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 9 Feb. 2026
Both victims in that case are uncharged suspects in the 2021 killing of Bert Brigham III, a fatal shooting that Oakland police attributed to a feud between two rival gangs in East Oakland, court records show.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
Northern Nigeria is in the grip of a complex security crisis featuring Islamic militants and armed gangs kidnapping people for ransom, a challenge that President Bola Tinubu has struggled to address since he was elected in 2023 after promising to end the crisis.
—Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Nearly 22 months later, as the council prepared to step down on Saturday, the road connecting Port-au-Prince to the south remains firmly in the grasp of criminal gangs.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Now, with the term expiring, concern is growing that the transition could trigger new instability, particularly in and around Port-au-Prince, where armed gangs have tightened their grip on neighborhoods and key roadways.
—Tania Francois, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
There is no mention of criminal gangs or Tren de Aragua.
—Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, gangs have grown in power.
—Colleen Barry, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Noun
While the public record does not include explicit names or locations, blockchain forensics firms are often able to associate addresses with certain crypto exchanges or criminal gangs.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026
The men who spoke to NBC News, as well as the families of former detainees and their attorneys, strongly denied any ties to gangs and said they were unfairly targeted because of tattoos that may be popular in Venezuela and are unrelated to Tren de Aragua.
—Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 9 Feb. 2026
Both victims in that case are uncharged suspects in the 2021 killing of Bert Brigham III, a fatal shooting that Oakland police attributed to a feud between two rival gangs in East Oakland, court records show.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
Northern Nigeria is in the grip of a complex security crisis featuring Islamic militants and armed gangs kidnapping people for ransom, a challenge that President Bola Tinubu has struggled to address since he was elected in 2023 after promising to end the crisis.
—Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Nearly 22 months later, as the council prepared to step down on Saturday, the road connecting Port-au-Prince to the south remains firmly in the grasp of criminal gangs.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Now, with the term expiring, concern is growing that the transition could trigger new instability, particularly in and around Port-au-Prince, where armed gangs have tightened their grip on neighborhoods and key roadways.
—Tania Francois, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
There is no mention of criminal gangs or Tren de Aragua.
—Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 6 Feb. 2026
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, gangs have grown in power.
—Colleen Barry, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangs
Noun
-
Terrance Gore, a baseball player whose remarkable speed earned him spots on three championship teams, including the 2020 Dodgers, died Friday, the Kansas City Royals announced on social media.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
What are Puppy Bowl 2026 teams?—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This graph had no cliques — clusters of nodes that are all connected to one another.—
Leila Sloman,
Quanta Magazine,
28 Jan. 2026
-
What began as a search for community and understanding turned into an experience that felt akin to the cliques and social hierarchies of high school.—
Hannah Nwoko,
Parents,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The historical fiction imagines the Mexican and American armies fighting for control of the West — part myth, fact and fiction spanning the past and present.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
These anti-peace sentiments can be quickly amplified by bot armies.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Data centers can also create water shortages for neighboring communities.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
-
One of the two entrances to Elephant Valley is outfitted with bee boxes; bees are known to be a natural elephant deterrent and can help in preventing the animals from disrupting crops or communities.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Adams put together a portfolio of his workday doodles and sent it to several newspaper syndicates.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Outside the capital, guerrilla groups and organized crime syndicates are exploiting the power vacuum along Venezuela’s borders and in its resource-rich interior.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
These are in addition to private members clubs The Wilde and Cipriani, among other highlights.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Shane Stant clubs Kerrigan on the knee and flees the scene.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Homicide and nonfatal shooting totals fell again in 2023, but the city was roiled by robbery and carjacking crews responsible for an overall uptick in violence.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Fire crews quickly confined and extinguished the blaze, however, searchers found three dogs dead, Bosse said.—
Jennifer Edwards Baker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Located some 60 miles north of Los Angeles near the city of Lancaster, California, Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve draws crowds from mid-February through early May to marvel at this state park’s California poppies.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
-
This weekend, Super Bowl crowds are descending on San Francisco for the first time in ten years—and the timing couldn’t be more apt.—
Julia Black,
Vanity Fair,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gangs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangs. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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