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 actions of these thugs, who should be imprisoned for a long while, is the cause of denying real Knicks fans the chance to watch the game communally.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 June 2026
-
People have committed suicide because a bunch of thugs went after them.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
If criminals have enough information to keep attacking your accounts, a credit freeze can help stop them from opening new credit in your name.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
-
And historically, denaturalization has been reserved for the most egregious offenders, such as human rights abusers and violent criminals.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Neither immigrant family should be linked to violent gangsters, of course.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
-
One of the most innovative gangsters of the 20th century, Frank Lucas earned the title of Harlem drug kingpin in the late-‘60s and early-‘70s by importing high-quality heroin from Southeast Asia and selling it under the street name Blue Magic.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
In the movie, Furiosa is taken from her idyllic home by bandits and grows up shuttled between psychopath Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) and warlord Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme).—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
-
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
Noun
-
In keeping with the promotion, the Sox players’ photos on the video board cast them as villains wearing black and eye patches.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
-
Beyond harsher criticism, sports media frames Black athletes differently — often naming them as villains, failures, antagonists or questioning their leadership when necessary.—
Brielle Miller,
Baltimore Sun,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hooligans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hooligans. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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