as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
Al Capone remains one of the most notorious gangsters in American history
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gangster
John Dillinger American gangster John Dillinger was born in Indianapolis in June 1903.
—
Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025
McLusky, however, isn’t interested in meeting new gangsters or unknown criminals in his town.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
Newspapers reported that Doyle died because of a disagreement with Russian gangsters.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
The Tunnels story is that Chinese immigrants built a network of tunnels under the city because they were forced to live underground; the tunnels were then used by gangsters and bootleggers, including Al Capone.
—JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gangster
Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025
McLusky, however, isn’t interested in meeting new gangsters or unknown criminals in his town.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
Newspapers reported that Doyle died because of a disagreement with Russian gangsters.
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
The Tunnels story is that Chinese immigrants built a network of tunnels under the city because they were forced to live underground; the tunnels were then used by gangsters and bootleggers, including Al Capone.
—JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gangster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangster
Noun
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No thug could hurt Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini)—North Jersey mob boss and sufferer of panic attacks—like his own family.—
John Ortved,
Vogue,
29 Oct. 2025
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This haunting film was also his first collaboration with Hellboy’s Ron Perlman, who plays a thug out to get the beetle for his rich uncle.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In other court cases, some civil and some criminal, involving a total of nearly 300 additional hectares near Vlora, Shehu and his family members are accused of grabbing property through similar forgeries.—
Lindita Cela,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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The trio has a surprisingly good theory about the implosion of the makeshift Astral Pulse; seems like Shroud never found the original, and someone has been outfitting low-level criminals with bootlegs that are going awry like Robert’s.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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This year’s furry green villain is more funny than scary, his behavior unthreatening, his confrontational manner with the Whos never feeling particularly dangerous.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
8 Nov. 2025
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The cast picture also included Brett Gelman, Priah Ferguson, Cara Buono, Amybeth McNulty and Jamie Campbell Bower, the latter who joined the cast in season 4 as the show's villain, Vecna.—
Kelsie Gibson,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Security analyst Nnamdi Obasi, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group think tank, explained that while extremist groups have wreaked havoc against both Christians and Muslims in the northeast of Nigeria, bandit groups have terrorized predominantly Muslim communities in the northwest.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
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The country has faced years of bloodshed from Boko Haram militants and armed bandits, whose motives are often linked more to territorial control and ransom than to religion.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The government doesn't like to as a rule, like showcase of assassin artifacts.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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Presidential assassins and all this dark stuff.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The film is based on the true story of Joseph ‘Lupo’ Rulli (Interdonato), a legendary New Jersey boxer plagued with polio before his career peaks, who then rises as a mobster in the Bonanno Crime family, while his older brother Dennis (Stahl) becomes a decorated State Policeman in the same town.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
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Detail of the ceiling mural of the Basilica of Regina Pacis, possibly depicting the mobster Joe Profaci with his fedora.—
Susan Mulcahy,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gangster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangster. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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