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
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
True, black leather jackets have become a symbol for hoodlum cycle jockeys, but remember: Good guys wear 'em, too, including policemen.
—Aurora Sousanis, Detroit Free Press, 5 June 2024
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
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
True, black leather jackets have become a symbol for hoodlum cycle jockeys, but remember: Good guys wear 'em, too, including policemen.
—Aurora Sousanis, Detroit Free Press, 5 June 2024
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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At least being a thug is more lucrative than being a poet.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
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According to reporting from the Clermont Sun, Fike tweeted ‘#thug the new n word’ in April 2015 and ‘Thug life = thug treatment = no pity from me’ in July 2019.—
James Wilkins,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 July 2025
Noun
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The book was about how his father chose conventional family values over the life of a gangster.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
2 Aug. 2025
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That audio clip has been shared some 60,000 times on TikTok, often by Venezuelans ridiculing the notion that everybody from their country is a gangster.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
23 July 2025
Noun
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The Saturday Night Live alum, 31, and Beverly Hills Cop actor, 64, star in the action-comedy The Pickup as Travis and Russell, two security guards whose vehicle is hijacked by Zoe (Keke Palmer), a criminal on a mission to avenge her dad by robbing a casino.—
Rebecca Aizin,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Neighborhoods where residents get out and meet each other and know their law enforcement are safer and discourage criminals — that’s the thinking behind the National Night Out campaign.—
Heather McRea,
Oc Register,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Temuera Morrison plays a terrific villain as the murderous King Kahekili.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
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Living with the aftermath Smollett in Episode 9 Courtesy of Apple TV+ Lehane never set out to create a simple morality tale with clear heroes and villains.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But Palm Beach County’s friendly neighborhood sugar cane barons might yet make out like bandits.—
Pat Beall,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 July 2025
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And the cast, in particular Clement as Pure Evil and Lisa Kudrow as the time bandits’ leader, Penelope, were all having a great time, giving the series an infectiously gleeful energy.—
Vulture Editors,
Vulture,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hoodlum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hoodlum. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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