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
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
The gang specialized in hijacking cars and guarding bootleg liquor shipments for other hoodlums during the Prohibition era.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
When Jennifer Lawrence isn’t full-frontally beating the bejesus out of insouciant hoodlums, that is.
—Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoodlum
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
The gang specialized in hijacking cars and guarding bootleg liquor shipments for other hoodlums during the Prohibition era.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
When Jennifer Lawrence isn’t full-frontally beating the bejesus out of insouciant hoodlums, that is.
—Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hoodlum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hoodlum
Noun
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We’re then introduced to Louie, a thug who works for a loan shark, threatening and killing people.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
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Their neighbor, an older Jewish woman, gets arrested and Nazi thugs brazenly loot her apartment.—
Rabih Alameddine
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There’s also a tropical storm circulating, as if the gangsters flew in from the tropics.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
12 Sep. 2025
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Others are new, building on a genuinely fresh and funny revelation that explains not only a cold open involving yakuza gangsters half a world away in Osaka, but also why this quaint town is sitting on a stash of weaponry big enough to overthrow the governments of several small nations.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Our research suggests that the vast majority of Republican voters want to close loopholes that allow criminals and dangerous people to get their hands on guns.—
Gabby Giffords,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
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The days of letting dangerous criminals terrorize American citizens are over.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Because the traits that make someone a hero in a story can easily lend themselves to being painted as a villain, too.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
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Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin play estranged old friends who reconnect at the funeral of a mutual friend, only to realize that their friend's dead husband was really the villain in all their lives.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket NFL fans can make out like bandits with the DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
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Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern were cast as the bumbling but dogged bandits, Harry and Marv, and Catherine O’Hara brought humor and compassion to the part of Kevin’s mother.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hoodlum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoodlum. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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