1
as in idiots
a stupid person
an unfortunate tendency to call those who disagree with him "brainless goons"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thugs
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the crime boss threatened to send the goons after him if he squealed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of goons
One Battle After Another is a timeless but timely thrill ride with fascist military goons, devoted revolutionaries, and fiery protests.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
The rapper Killer Mike makes the most of his limited screen time as the no-nonsense publisher of a local tabloid that prints Lee’s more lowbrow, retaliatory material, including the mug shots and criminal histories of some goons who assaulted him.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Hawley waited until the start of the fifth season to lean all the way into the comparison, by borrowing the movie’s inciting incident where a Minnesota Nice housewife is kidnapped by two goons — one hapless, one relentless and seemingly mystical.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
The goons were sent by Colorado (Bad Bunny, credited as Benito Martínez Octavio, his real name), who turns out to be pretty tough himself.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Nate is alive, but is being experimented upon by Horizen goons in some secret location.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
There’s even duck boats now, albeit with goons impaled by an anchor and buoy.
—Mark Kennedy, Boston Herald, 14 Aug. 2025
Right-wing slop typically gets a boost in sales from bulk purchases by friendly organizations and supportive, big money goons.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Susan had found Teresa and neutralized the redhead’s would-be rapist/gun runner with a bullet to his frank-and-beans, while Villanueva nearly met his match in one of the gun-running goons.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 27 Mar. 2025
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
The rapper Killer Mike makes the most of his limited screen time as the no-nonsense publisher of a local tabloid that prints Lee’s more lowbrow, retaliatory material, including the mug shots and criminal histories of some goons who assaulted him.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Hawley waited until the start of the fifth season to lean all the way into the comparison, by borrowing the movie’s inciting incident where a Minnesota Nice housewife is kidnapped by two goons — one hapless, one relentless and seemingly mystical.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2025
The goons were sent by Colorado (Bad Bunny, credited as Benito Martínez Octavio, his real name), who turns out to be pretty tough himself.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Nate is alive, but is being experimented upon by Horizen goons in some secret location.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025
There’s even duck boats now, albeit with goons impaled by an anchor and buoy.
—Mark Kennedy, Boston Herald, 14 Aug. 2025
Right-wing slop typically gets a boost in sales from bulk purchases by friendly organizations and supportive, big money goons.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025
Susan had found Teresa and neutralized the redhead’s would-be rapist/gun runner with a bullet to his frank-and-beans, while Villanueva nearly met his match in one of the gun-running goons.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 27 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goons
Noun
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Anyone that votes for those people are absolute idiots.—
Gerardo Zavala,
NPR,
20 Sep. 2025
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Because some of them act like complete idiots, but Wendy is constantly outsmarting everyone.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Their neighbor, an older Jewish woman, gets arrested and Nazi thugs brazenly loot her apartment.—
Rabih Alameddine
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
-
As night falls, armed thugs roam the streets and families pick up guns to protect themselves.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
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On Tuesday, a total of 300 federal agents stormed a South Side apartment building that Department of Homeland Security officials say harbored criminals.—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Columns speculated endlessly about the men in Mary’s life, her engagement to Daniel Payne and her connection to local criminals.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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So that episode will make fun [of] billionaire life-extension body-hacking lunatics.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Sep. 2025
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Whether those people are sickened by grief and rage into a kind of temporary insanity, genuine lunatics, hustlers looking to milk a little more engagement or some combination of the three doesn’t really matter.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Now is the time to push back in defense of free speech – as strongly and as publicly as the gangsters on the left and right are threatening to revoke it.—
Onkar Ghate,
Oc Register,
26 Sep. 2025
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Unlike Mare, whose community was cloistered and intimate, Task builds a wider world of dealers, gangsters, and thieves, not always to its benefit.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Advertisement As many of the best villains do, Ok-seon has a sympathetic backstory.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
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Developed and released by Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc, the game allows players to fight and explore as both heroes and villains from the iconic franchise, following a story mode that takes place in the universe’s Final War arc.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket NFL fans can make out like bandits with the DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
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Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern were cast as the bumbling but dogged bandits, Harry and Marv, and Catherine O’Hara brought humor and compassion to the part of Kevin’s mother.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Goons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goons. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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