MOB Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'mob' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mob are crowd , crush , horde , and throng . While all these words mean "an assembled multitude," mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence. // an angry mob

Q: Where would 'crowd' be a reasonable alternative to 'mob'?

While the synonyms crowd and mob are close in meaning, crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together. // a crowd gathered

Q: In what contexts can 'crush' take the place of 'mob'?

The words crush and mob are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort. // a crush of fans

Q: How do 'throng' and 'horde' relate to one another, in the sense of 'mob'?

Both throng and horde suggest movement and pushing. // a throng of reporters // a horde of shoppers

mob 1 of 2

noun

ˈmäb

Definition of mob

as in crowd

a great number of persons or creatures massed together a mob of pigeons soon flocked around us after they spied the bread crumbs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in Mafia

a group involved in secret or criminal activities the club owner was accused of having connections with a mob of racketeers

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in populace

the body of the community as contrasted with the elite political speeches designed to appeal to the mob

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mob

2 of 2

verb

as in to flock

to move upon or fill (something) in great numbers the snack bar was mobbed as soon as the meeting was over

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun mob differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mob are crowd, crush, horde, and throng. While all these words mean "an assembled multitude," mob implies a disorderly crowd with the potential for violence.

an angry mob

Where would crowd be a reasonable alternative to mob?

While the synonyms crowd and mob are close in meaning, crowd implies a close gathering and pressing together.

a crowd gathered

In what contexts can crush take the place of mob?

The words crush and mob are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, crush emphasizes the compactness of the group, the difficulty of individual movement, and the attendant discomfort.

a crush of fans

How do throng and horde relate to one another, in the sense of mob?

Both throng and horde suggest movement and pushing.

a throng of reporters

a horde of shoppers

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 mob

Noun

Joe’s vigilante antics soon draw the ire of mob kingpin Giuseppe Falcone (Pacino) — this is the best name Besson could come up with — who confronts the killer priest in a confessional before vying to take him down. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026 Elle Fanning brought back 2024’s viral mob wife trend with her Coach look at the American label’s spring 2027 ready-to-wear collection presentation on Wednesday at Basketball City during New York Fashion Week. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026

Verb

Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers is mobbed by teammates after a walk-off double that scored the game winning run against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning at Globe Life Field on August 04, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. — CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 By Beabadoobee’s set time, the area was already mobbed with a full crowd of people as far as the eye could see. — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mob

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mob

Noun

In January, Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupted, leading officials at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park to warn visitors about heavy traffic, crowds and potential hazards.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
The 35,000-strong crowd is happy to forgive Céline Dion for what becomes a 47-minute delay.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of crowd

Noun

In this world, Joe is the smartest guy in the room, and Camacho promises the populace that Joe will solve all America’s problems in one week.

— Donald Liebenson, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
Russia is impossibly far from the victory Putin imagined in February 2022—controlling the country’s whole territory and populace.

— MICHAEL KIMMAGE, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of populace

Verb

Fans don’t often flock to see something so aesthetically subpar.

— Chandler Rome, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026
Washington did grow, and for years tourists and residents flocked to the Capitol’s wide terrace overlooking the National Mall, especially at sunset.

— Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of flock

Noun

With her high heels, bright smile, and entourage of millennial assistants and executives, Terekh stands out in her factory, where throngs of middle-aged men lug drone parts, wield power tools and chain-smoke cigarettes.

— Aidan Stretch, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Over the past few days, the people at the front of the lines have gradually moved closer and closer to the courtroom, to the point where the doors can barely open without bumping into a throng of people.

— Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of throng

Noun

McFarlane, Jonathan Bowlan, Orion Kerkering and the gang could then take on lesser roles.

— Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Bakewell’s donations weren’t the only ones to pose issues for Brotherhood Crusade, which provides an array of services aimed at keeping kids from joining gangs.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of gang

Noun

It’s been just a few years since ChatGPT’s release to public in late 2022, democratizing access to chatbots with the ability to answer increasingly personal questions using language from the whole of the internet.

— Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 6 Sep. 2026
When a self-serving gatekeeper in that position helps divide inventory between what the broad public can see and what only market insiders can see, the result is a less transparent and competitive market.

— Tomas J. Philipson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of public

Noun

There has been a string of alarming incidents in which swarms of rogue AI agents have hacked online platforms such as Hugging Face and surreptitiously communicated with one another on message boards.

— Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
After realizing a swarm of AI agents broke out of testing and hacked rival companies, OpenAI paused AI training for new models and promised to strengthen its cyber defenses.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of swarm

Browse Nearby Words

moats

mob

mobbed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Mob.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mob. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of mob

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on mob

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

volition

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes