1
as in throngs
a great number of persons or creatures massed together
a mob of pigeons soon flocked around us after they spied the bread crumbs
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2
as in gangs
a group involved in secret or criminal activities
the club owner was accused of having connections with a mob of racketeers
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in masses
the body of the community as contrasted with the elite
political speeches designed to appeal to the mob
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mobs
Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Violent mobs confronted the students on the first day of school, and initially, the Arkansas National Guard blocked them from entering the building under orders from segregationist Governor Orval Faubus.
—Time, 4 Sep. 2025
The individual human being is unpredictable, but the reactions of human mobs, Seldon found, could be treated statistically.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2025
In some cases, entire families were driven off their land by white mobs or pressured into selling at prices far below market value.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 16 Aug. 2025
The violent scene the world watched in those videos bears little resemblance to the violence Cincinnati police officers most often encounter on patrol, and the rhetoric on social media about soaring crime rates and rampaging mobs doesn’t reflect short- or long-term trends in the city’s crime data.
—Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 14 Aug. 2025
Trump characterized the demonstrators as violent mobs, but Mayor Karen Bass and Newsom maintained that local law enforcement was equipped to handle the protests.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2025
Following his success, several national magazines published pictures of his house and the location was soon frequented by mobs of fans and photographers.
—Korrin Bishop, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
Many observers have pointed out the resemblance of the firing campaign to online mobs circa 2020, and the entire episode has reignited debates over the difference between free speech and social censure.
—Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Violent mobs confronted the students on the first day of school, and initially, the Arkansas National Guard blocked them from entering the building under orders from segregationist Governor Orval Faubus.
—Time, 4 Sep. 2025
The individual human being is unpredictable, but the reactions of human mobs, Seldon found, could be treated statistically.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2025
In some cases, entire families were driven off their land by white mobs or pressured into selling at prices far below market value.
—Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 16 Aug. 2025
The violent scene the world watched in those videos bears little resemblance to the violence Cincinnati police officers most often encounter on patrol, and the rhetoric on social media about soaring crime rates and rampaging mobs doesn’t reflect short- or long-term trends in the city’s crime data.
—Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 14 Aug. 2025
Trump characterized the demonstrators as violent mobs, but Mayor Karen Bass and Newsom maintained that local law enforcement was equipped to handle the protests.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2025
Following his success, several national magazines published pictures of his house and the location was soon frequented by mobs of fans and photographers.
—Korrin Bishop, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mobs
Noun
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The outing—which, according to local reports, appeared to be equal parts publicity stunt, cultural gesture, and celebration of potential new AI partnerships—drew throngs of spectators with flashing cameras, and sent South Korean fried-chicken stocks soaring.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
31 Oct. 2025
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To avoid the throngs of high-season tourists, consider visiting the Italian town from March to May or September to November, during its shoulder seasons.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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An IndyStar investigation, which is based on interviews with four dozen people, including current and former inmates, their families and former employees, found Miami Correctional is constantly beset by violence fueled by gangs and drugs.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
5 Nov. 2025
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While a decade ago the majority of knife crime perpetrated by young people was related to gangs, this is no longer the case, James Alexander, an associate enterprise fellow in criminology at London Metropolitan University, told CNN.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The exercise also featured swarms of first-person-view (FPV) suicide drones launching precision strikes against mock enemy fortifications.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
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Twenty-two earthquakes were recorded in the Kamchatka region within a single day in early November 2025, demonstrating the potential for earthquake swarms in highly active zones.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Ticket buyers were mostly younger males, with men accounting for 61% of audiences and 24 to 34-year-olds representing 39% of crowds.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Shoulder-to-shoulder crowds gathered at the Sikh temple in Sutter County Sunday for an annual celebration that has grown exponentially in its 46 years of existence.—
Annika Merrilees,
Sacbee.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Back in 1961, residents of Capitola woke up to find that hordes of black seabirds were slamming into cars, windows and people's homes and dying.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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The birds have survived in hordes in the deserts, but civilization nearly always spells their doom.—
Jack O'Connor,
Outdoor Life,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Such crackdowns attract notice from Boswell, who detects a civilian ally in his fight against local syndicates.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has disabled more than 2,500 Starlink devices in and around scam centers in Myanmar, following warnings from activists that mainly Chinese syndicates were using the technology to defraud people worldwide.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Sennott never steps outside the frame to ask what kind of person flocks to the influencer sphere and why, or whether any meaning can be found in such apparently soulless work.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
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There have been 24 detections of bird flu at poultry farms across the nation, resulting in the culling of entire flocks to prevent the spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.—
Laura Schulte,
jsonline.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In classical antiquity, the mountainous region was notorious for bandits; in modern times, blood feuds among clans were rife.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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But Gaza is home to numerous clans and militant groups, with score-settling and criminality posing a threat to order in the Palestinian enclave, even after the ceasefire.—
Christian Orozco,
NBC news,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mobs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mobs. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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