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, hoodlums and thugs who throw objects at the players give up their rights and should be removed, charged, and possibly jailed.
—
Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Aug. 2025
Sir Jimmy Crystal gives deeply unsettling vibes from the get-go, and while his bizarre gang of hoodlums do save Spike’s life, it’s implied that Spike may have wandered into a much worse situation.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Critics say police gave up when the rioting erupted in 1992, letting big chunks of the city burn while looters and hoodlums ruled.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
His hoodlum phase in New York was re-created at the Lenox Lounge in Harlem.
—CBS News, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoodlum
Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Aug. 2025
Sir Jimmy Crystal gives deeply unsettling vibes from the get-go, and while his bizarre gang of hoodlums do save Spike’s life, it’s implied that Spike may have wandered into a much worse situation.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Critics say police gave up when the rioting erupted in 1992, letting big chunks of the city burn while looters and hoodlums ruled.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
His hoodlum phase in New York was re-created at the Lenox Lounge in Harlem.
—CBS News, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoodlum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoodlum
Noun
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Of course, Sarah and her mom continue to believe that God is on their side, even after the family home is attacked by oil company thugs and a reliable ally winds up on the wrong end of a shotgun.—
Joe Leydon,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
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No thug could hurt Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini)—North Jersey mob boss and sufferer of panic attacks—like his own family.—
John Ortved,
Vogue,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Stumpy the gangster, Bev the Mormon.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
9 Nov. 2025
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Metrotone Media’s Katharina Gellein Viken, meanwhile, revealed a new micro-drama in the works, a mockumentary about the making of a low-budget British gangster flick.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In other court cases, some civil and some criminal, involving a total of nearly 300 additional hectares near Vlora, Shehu and his family members are accused of grabbing property through similar forgeries.—
Lindita Cela,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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The trio has a surprisingly good theory about the implosion of the makeshift Astral Pulse; seems like Shroud never found the original, and someone has been outfitting low-level criminals with bootlegs that are going awry like Robert’s.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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This year’s furry green villain is more funny than scary, his behavior unthreatening, his confrontational manner with the Whos never feeling particularly dangerous.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
8 Nov. 2025
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The cast picture also included Brett Gelman, Priah Ferguson, Cara Buono, Amybeth McNulty and Jamie Campbell Bower, the latter who joined the cast in season 4 as the show's villain, Vecna.—
Kelsie Gibson,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Security analyst Nnamdi Obasi, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group think tank, explained that while extremist groups have wreaked havoc against both Christians and Muslims in the northeast of Nigeria, bandit groups have terrorized predominantly Muslim communities in the northwest.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
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The country has faced years of bloodshed from Boko Haram militants and armed bandits, whose motives are often linked more to territorial control and ransom than to religion.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The empty frames left by the thieves still hang in the museum to this day.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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Investigators said the thief arrived in a white 2005-2010 Chevrolet Silverado.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hoodlum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoodlum. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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