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
The best of them is saved for last, and works in spite of the film’s struggle to make its sociopathic main villain (Joey Iwanaga) as interesting as its colorful array of goons.
—
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 12 June 2026
The group’s funhouse palettes and repertoire of sweaty, pustulant goons tapped into the nation’s nauseous psyche.
—Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Packed with clashing Nazi goons and ice-cold blaxploitation paragons of extralegal justice, this season went inexplicably Tarantino, opening up arteries but also opportunities for a great actor to shine.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 June 2026
But Kornev is young and infused with an idealistic zeal, refusing to let these goons stonewall him.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Willa eludes Lockjaw's goons with the help of Deandra (Regina Hall), a French 75 member, and finds refuge with the Sisters of the Brave Beaver, a convent of sympathetic (if exhausted) nuns.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
No more random goons without background checks, and fire all who never should have been hired.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Now, fresh reporting by the New York Times documents the wild ride that turned a group of crypto goons into a national laughing stock.
—Joe Wilkins Published Feb 5, Futurism, 5 Feb. 2026
Senate Democrats should continue to block Homeland Security funding until the goons are gone from Minnesota and Noem is gone from Washington.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 Jan. 2026
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 12 June 2026
The group’s funhouse palettes and repertoire of sweaty, pustulant goons tapped into the nation’s nauseous psyche.
—Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Packed with clashing Nazi goons and ice-cold blaxploitation paragons of extralegal justice, this season went inexplicably Tarantino, opening up arteries but also opportunities for a great actor to shine.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 June 2026
But Kornev is young and infused with an idealistic zeal, refusing to let these goons stonewall him.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Willa eludes Lockjaw's goons with the help of Deandra (Regina Hall), a French 75 member, and finds refuge with the Sisters of the Brave Beaver, a convent of sympathetic (if exhausted) nuns.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
No more random goons without background checks, and fire all who never should have been hired.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026
Now, fresh reporting by the New York Times documents the wild ride that turned a group of crypto goons into a national laughing stock.
—Joe Wilkins Published Feb 5, Futurism, 5 Feb. 2026
Senate Democrats should continue to block Homeland Security funding until the goons are gone from Minnesota and Noem is gone from Washington.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goons
Noun
-
Can't believe that after 10 years of us basing our most damning investigations on cell phone data, these idiots are still doing it.—
Sam Stevenson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Nov. 2025
-
That's the deterrent for the idiots.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Even the Democrat hacks at Massport understood the insanity of dumping hundreds more of these thugs into one of the few functioning hubs of commercial activity left in New England.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
28 Nov. 2025
-
In The Big Lebowski, thugs mistake the titular slacker (Bridges) for the wealthy Jeffrey Lebowski, sending him on a wild investigation with his pal Walter (John Goodman) into a ransom plot involving Lebowski’s young wife (Tara Reid).—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That they would be regarded as slothful morons who aren't worth the price of a ticket of admission.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
2 Feb. 2026
-
The Dilbert principle — traced back to a quote in a 1995 strip — posited that managers and higher-ups are actually successful morons whose stubbornness is confused for real leadership qualities.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These people are vital to the Florida economy, yet they are being rounded up like criminals.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Patching software regularly could close known vulnerabilities before criminals exploit them.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The lunatics are running the asylum.—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, Michael Cera, Will Arnett and other lunatics round out the cast.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
Noun
-
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
-
What villains, from Earth or elsewhere, are most known to threaten humanity?—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Noun
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The Robin Hood-lite bandits, who also include Taylour Paige’s Mariah and Naomi Ackie’s Sade, target Christie's ridiculous monochromatic retail stores, eventually allying with factory laborers in China to take down her exploitative brand of capitalism.—
Matthew Jacobs,
Time,
19 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
Cite this Entry
“Goons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goons. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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