Synonyms of mob

mob 1 of 2

noun

ˈmäb 

1

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

• crowd
• throng
• swarm
• horde
• flock
• army
• multitude
• legion
• mass
• herd
• press
• masses
• crush
• drove
• rout
• bike
• host
• rabble
• scrum
• millions
• cram
• gaggle
• riffraff
• mountain
• rabblement
• heap
• pile
• jam
• logjam

2

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

• Mafia
• gang
• syndicate
• conspiracy
• clan
• crew
• network
• ring
• cabal
• clique
• crowd
• bunch
• coven
• coterie
• circle
• pack
• junta
• lot
• set
• oligarchy
• galère

3

as in populace

the body of the community as contrasted with the elite

political speeches designed to appeal to the mob

Synonyms & Similar Words

• populace
• crowd
• public
• people
• mass
• commoners
• millions
• commons
• multitude
• herd
• plebeians
• plebs
• rank and file
• cattle
• rabble
• proletariat
• scum
• hoi polloi
• rout
• riffraff
• unwashed
• bourgeoisie
• trash
• rabblement
• middle class
• tag, rag, and bobtail
• ragtag and bobtail

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• elite
• aristocracy
• cream
• flower
• elect
• choice
• pride
• fat
• upper crust
• A-list
• pink
• society
• pick
• best
• nobility
• corps d'elite
• royalty
• quality
• gentry
• patriciate
• gentility
• gentlefolk
• peerage
• haute monde

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

• flock
• crowd
• swarm
• invade
• throng
• beset
• infest
• overrun
• dam
• jam
• obstruct
• plug (up)
• clog

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

Recent Examples of mob

Noun

The movie is about how Irwin and his brother, a high-rolling ex-cop named Gary (Adam Driver), get involved in a financial scheme that ensnares them in the tentacles of the Russian mob. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 May 2026

In 1961, Freedom Rider civil rights activists were attacked by violent mobs in Anniston and Birmingham, Alabama. —Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026

Verb

In 1937 a Hollywood branch of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), widely known to be mobbed-up and corrupt, started signing up animators at other studios. —Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026

Hit exhibitions are seldom an unalloyed delight, and Vermeer, in particular, does not take kindly to being mobbed. —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026