as in thugs
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
London bobbies clearing the streets of hooligans
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hooligans
Not only were hooligans running riot every week, but the grounds weren’t fit for purpose, and attendances were locked into a sustained nosedive.
—
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 23 May 2026
But Bruce stands apart from his fellow hooligans.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Passengers could only stare out the windows as about a dozen hooligans jumped atop the bus while others sprayed it with graffiti, including on the bus' windshield.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Violence in European soccer has subsided; English hooligans now seem almost quaint.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
The cries mixed with disturbances, the chants of encouragement with shouts from the police and hooligans.
—Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 23 May 2026
But Bruce stands apart from his fellow hooligans.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Passengers could only stare out the windows as about a dozen hooligans jumped atop the bus while others sprayed it with graffiti, including on the bus' windshield.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Violence in European soccer has subsided; English hooligans now seem almost quaint.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
The cries mixed with disturbances, the chants of encouragement with shouts from the police and hooligans.
—Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 25 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hooligans
Noun
-
The masked thugs deposit a tearful middle-aged woman in front of Bass, Newsom, and Harris.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
-
White thugs destroyed it in the 1921 Race Massacre.—
Jasmine Desiree,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The bigger issue is that many systems still rely on information criminals may already have, such as birthdays, addresses and partial Social Security numbers.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2026
-
Morrison has covered stories worldwide, interviewing everyone from presidents and prime ministers, student protesters under fire in Tiananmen Square, to criminals, teachers, artists, actors and authors.—
Dateline NBC,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
In every revolution, there are gangsters.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
-
But when the pair decides to let Rotta go instead, Mando is captured by the bounty hunter Embo as punishment for double-crossing the slimy galactic gangsters, prompting Grogu (and a bunch of ridiculously cute Anzellans) to set out on an adventure to rescue him.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 May 2026
Noun
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Deportees from the United States are especially vulnerable to robbery and kidnapping because gangs and bandits assume that their families can pay larger ransoms.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
-
Joined by her hapless but loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay), Prue navigates a world of talking animals, bandits, and powerful figures driven by grief and ambition.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
But with villains running amok across the city, Ben must decide whether to suit up once more as the masked hero.—
Olivia Singh,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
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Its villains include Alexander Hamilton, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and, above all, Robert Bork, who reinterpreted antitrust doctrine as focused on protecting consumers—a legal transformation that Lynn deems the turning point that set America onto a path toward oligarchy.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hooligans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hooligans. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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