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
On the page, ex-gangster Henry Hill’s story is exciting enough.
—
Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Daylight saving time once saved the life of a Chicago gangster sentenced to die by hanging — for an extra hour, anyway.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Violent gangsters ran fentanyl and human smuggling over the Rio Grande.
—Ioan Grillo, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
Longtime collaborators Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro reunited for this 2019 gangster epic, about the real-life hitman Frank Sheeran and his experiences working for the Mafia.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gangster
Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Daylight saving time once saved the life of a Chicago gangster sentenced to die by hanging — for an extra hour, anyway.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Violent gangsters ran fentanyl and human smuggling over the Rio Grande.
—Ioan Grillo, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
Longtime collaborators Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro reunited for this 2019 gangster epic, about the real-life hitman Frank Sheeran and his experiences working for the Mafia.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gangster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangster
Noun
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Cabello, once Maduro's chief thug, can now be seen sitting across from high level Trump officials in meetings discussing business deals.—
Margaret Brennan,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
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He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Many of the toughest criminals taken into ICE custody were already in prison, but many others who were arrested have no criminal history.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
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In the furthest part of space lies Dante 01, a detention facility that houses criminals who have committed the most shocking crimes imaginable.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In its earlier days, The Boys might have done something with how Nanjiani’s Eternals and Rogen’s The Green Hornet both underperformed, and the Kick-Ass movies in which Mintz-Plasse played a villain left little cultural footprint.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
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Most of his videos, filmed in a local studio or sometimes on the streets of Charlotte, are high-quality shorts showing him in throes of battle with classic villains like Killer Croc or Bane.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Fleeing into the desert with her father, she is hunted by a merciless army and forced to trust a legendary bandit (Mackie) with secrets of his own.—
Mark Meszoros,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
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The movie is understood to follow a sheriff and a doctor who seek revenge against a group of bandits who use the cover of a torrential thunderstorm to rob and terrorize the occupants of a small town.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And why was the would-be assassin’s body cremated so quickly without an autopsy?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Caine’s movie comes after Ana de Armas starred in last year’s Ballerina, the first non-Wick standalone title in the franchise, about a young Ruska Roma assassin seeking vengeance for her father.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The indictment presents a detailed and devastating narrative of how, for years, officials in Sinaloa have allegedly worked hand in hand with mobsters, enriching themselves and allowing the gang to operate with seeming impunity.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
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But the Shedd outlasted the mobsters and Lord knows what else in its home city’s colorful history and now is trying to raise $500 million over eight years in honor of its pending 100th anniversary in 2030.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gangster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangster. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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