hoodlum

noun

ˈhüd-ləm How to pronounce hoodlum (audio)
Definition of hoodlumnext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hoodlum But as Duterte’s father, Vicente, had increasingly gravitated toward Malacañang, his son hung out with the family bodyguards—and crafted the persona of a rough-talking bugoy, or hoodlum, in his native Bisayan tongue. — Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 These involve raiding the lairs of hoodlum rivals, then singlehandedly dissuading them from competition. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025 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 Somehow, that makes the notion of hoodlums stopping by to order Shnack Wrapz and Cheezecake Shakez and then pillage our neighorhoods seem even more unlikely. — Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 19 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hoodlum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoodlum
  1. thug
  2. gangster
  3. criminal
  4. villain
  5. bandit
  6. thief
Noun
  • Tae-ha’s mom left him after Sang-gil, who was also a boxer prior to becoming a thug, cheated in a match.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Shortly after his big win, he’s attacked by two thugs in a parking garage.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 July 2026
Definition of thug
Noun
  • This high-security prison is a sprawling complex that houses thousands of detainees, including notorious gangsters, terrorists and prominent white-collar offenders.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The trailer signals a narrative grounded in moral ambiguity and raw human emotion rather than conventional gangster storytelling.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of gangster
Noun
  • North Carolina politician says Democrats are coddling criminals Records also list a September 2025 simple-assault charge and a March 2025 charge of assault on a female.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Even if Anna Pigeon carries a gun with cuffs, as real-life law enforcement rangers do, there's much more to the job and character than chasing down criminals.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of criminal
Noun
  • The second is the idea that this is where Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch returns to the MCU after being seemingly killed in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where she had been turned into a full villain.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But because Detroit chose the offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Skubal has unwittingly become a villain around the league.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of villain
Noun
  • Armed groups, known as bandits in Nigeria, regularly carry out raids and kidnappings for ransom in the northwest and north-central parts of the country.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The film reimagines the legend of Chang’Er, the moon goddess, and her husband, the archer Hou Yi, picking up the story after Chang’Er ascends to the moon and setting her on a journey to its dark side alongside a bandit from Earth.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of bandit
Noun
  • The feature could help someone facing a violent thief or another coercive situation.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Police told local news outlets that thieves used one of the company trucks to smash through the site’s security gate and then spent eight hours combing through the building.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of thief

Browse Nearby Words

hood
hoodlum
hoodlums
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Cite this Entry

“Hoodlum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoodlum. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of hoodlum for Spanish Speakers

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