as in thugs
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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Recent Examples of gangsters
One of the most innovative gangsters of the 20th century, Frank Lucas earned the title of Harlem drug kingpin in the late-‘60s and early-‘70s by importing high-quality heroin from Southeast Asia and selling it under the street name Blue Magic.
—
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
Sensing this once-great dynasty is in decline, the outback’s most powerful factions — rival cattle barons, desert gangsters, Indigenous elders, and billionaire miners — move in for the kill, with billions of dollars at stake.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 4 June 2026
Among a slew of criminals and gangsters populating Paramount Plus’ streaming catalog, Mobland has stood out as a hit.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
In Gray’s taut thriller, set in 1980s Brighton Beach; the Gowanus area of Brooklyn; and Great Neck, Long Island, two brothers (Driver and Teller) fall afoul of Russian gangsters in a rapidly transforming city where high-stakes opportunities for riches also come with a high risk of life and limb.
—Jada Yuan, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
The only ones making money on alcohol now were gangsters.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 May 2026
The gangsters who are running the country almost pride themselves on a lack of subtlety and finesse.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 May 2026
Violent gangsters ran fentanyl and human smuggling over the Rio Grande.
—Ioan Grillo, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
They were called Peaky Blinders because, as Cash does in the trailer’s first shot, gangsters would wear the peak of their cap over one eye.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2026
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
Sensing this once-great dynasty is in decline, the outback’s most powerful factions — rival cattle barons, desert gangsters, Indigenous elders, and billionaire miners — move in for the kill, with billions of dollars at stake.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 4 June 2026
Among a slew of criminals and gangsters populating Paramount Plus’ streaming catalog, Mobland has stood out as a hit.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
In Gray’s taut thriller, set in 1980s Brighton Beach; the Gowanus area of Brooklyn; and Great Neck, Long Island, two brothers (Driver and Teller) fall afoul of Russian gangsters in a rapidly transforming city where high-stakes opportunities for riches also come with a high risk of life and limb.
—Jada Yuan, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
The only ones making money on alcohol now were gangsters.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 May 2026
The gangsters who are running the country almost pride themselves on a lack of subtlety and finesse.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 May 2026
Violent gangsters ran fentanyl and human smuggling over the Rio Grande.
—Ioan Grillo, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
They were called Peaky Blinders because, as Cash does in the trailer’s first shot, gangsters would wear the peak of their cap over one eye.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangsters
Noun
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The actions of these thugs, who should be imprisoned for a long while, is the cause of denying real Knicks fans the chance to watch the game communally.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 June 2026
-
People have committed suicide because a bunch of thugs went after them.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
7 June 2026
Noun
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An allegation last year by a provincial police commander that top officers and officials were colluding with organized criminals led Ramaphosa to announce a national investigation into police corruption.—
Michelle Gumede,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
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Roman emperors, sometimes urged on by the crowd, were known to grant pardons (to criminals) and freedom (to the enslaved) after an especially noteworthy performance.—
Cullen Murphy,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
And, hey, the league is better when there are villains.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
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The festive, charming and energetic North American tour of the Broadway production is packed with as much nostalgia as new characters that are doppelgangers for the original series’ heroes and villains, and who often challenge our assumptions about their infamous families.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Deportees from the United States are especially vulnerable to robbery and kidnapping because gangs and bandits assume that their families can pay larger ransoms.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
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Joined by her hapless but loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay), Prue navigates a world of talking animals, bandits, and powerful figures driven by grief and ambition.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Forced to flee together, the pair embark on a high-stakes road trip across Europe while being hunted by law enforcement, elite assassins and dangerous criminals.—
Lily Brown,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
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The bombshells, Gabriel from Brazil and Kayda from New Hampshire, arrive like sexy assassins and silently start making out with everyone standing on a red dot.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Tens of thousands drowned, while others were raped, robbed, and murdered by pirates, finding vulnerable prey.—
Elizabeth Holtzman,
Time,
9 June 2026
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No child, or reader of Robert Louis Stevenson, can deny the allure of pirates, but the marauders are rarely the good guys in the story.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Noun
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With how macho the mobsters all are, this causes a ton of consternation, both within the family and across the river in New York, especially considering Vito is married to Phil's cousin.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
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In the clip above, Pacino’s character is in conversation with notorious mobsters Sam Giancana (played by Paul Ben-Victor) and Johnny Roselli (played by Logan Marshall-Green).—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gangsters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangsters. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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