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
-
This is different from the pastime counterfactuals enjoyed after the fact by barfly drunks and social media idiots.—
Kyle Wagner,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2026
-
Kids, let’s face it, are idiots by nature, and that’s not their fault.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
There are complicated brain-chemistry factors involved that have to do with testosterone, and dopaminergic systems, and kappa-opioid receptors, all of which seem to add up to a Jim Gaffigan joke about how men are morons compared with their wives.—
McKay Coppins,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Neither immigrant family should be linked to violent gangsters, of course.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
-
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
Noun
-
In keeping with the promotion, the Sox players’ photos on the video board cast them as villains wearing black and eye patches.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
-
Beyond harsher criticism, sports media frames Black athletes differently — often naming them as villains, failures, antagonists or questioning their leadership when necessary.—
Brielle Miller,
Baltimore Sun,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
In the movie, Furiosa is taken from her idyllic home by bandits and grows up shuttled between psychopath Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) and warlord Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme).—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Goons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goons. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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