as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
a couple of hoodlums held up the convenience store
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hoodlum
However, their dreams are threatened by the hoodlums in the Riverbottom Gang.
—
EW.com, 30 Nov. 2024
During the same year, Lansky joined Mafia hoodlum Joe Adonis in the operation of a major bootleg liquor operation in New York, apparently his first close association with the Mafia.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
Those secrets created De Niro’s glorified and most memorable street hoodlums and now befuddle his current crazy-man public image.
—Armond White, National Review, 21 Mar. 2025
Some people told his family that Pereda went to a movie that night and a hoodlum told him someone outside wanted to see him.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoodlum
EW.com, 30 Nov. 2024
During the same year, Lansky joined Mafia hoodlum Joe Adonis in the operation of a major bootleg liquor operation in New York, apparently his first close association with the Mafia.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
Those secrets created De Niro’s glorified and most memorable street hoodlums and now befuddle his current crazy-man public image.
—Armond White, National Review, 21 Mar. 2025
Some people told his family that Pereda went to a movie that night and a hoodlum told him someone outside wanted to see him.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoodlum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoodlum
Noun
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There’s no dearth of evil Imperial thugs in Andor — however, one character who seems to exist in a complicated moral gray is Lonni Jung (Robert Emms), a fellow ISB officer who attends Partagaz’s closed-door briefings alongside Dedra but relays the Empire’s plans to Luthen in secret.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2025
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Speaking of the stand: The prosecution’s main witness changes her damning testimony against Gomez when one of his thugs — the same guy that was trying to get Noah to get in his car — arrives in court and glares menacingly from the back row.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As is the norm in the ’90s, L.A. rapper Tone Loc is part of the cast as a gangster from around the way named Frog.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
9 May 2025
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In 1979, when Carmine Galante, the head of the Bonanno crime family, was killed, the photographer Hal Goldenberg hoofed it up onto a roof in Brooklyn to get a shot of the gangster’s cooling corpse.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Noun
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By the way, none of us is a criminal, as hacking is not a crime.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
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Manson was a petty criminal who had been in and out of jail since childhood.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2025
Noun
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Frey was the Game of Thrones villain who orchestrated that show’s infamous Red Wedding, a premeditated and highly violent attack on a large group of people that took place during a wedding reception.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
13 May 2025
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The filmmaker released a 15-second preview of the trailer, featuring footage of a battle between Superman and a mechanized villain named the Hammer of Boravia.—
Michileen Martin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
Noun
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Corridos have long been used to tell stories in Mexico, sometimes recounting the exploits of bandits and outlaws.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2025
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After listening in on the meeting, Nanette offers to help identify the bandits using Kabir’s complaint log.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hoodlum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoodlum. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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