as in thugs
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
a group of roughnecks like to hang out at the roadhouse and harass people
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of roughnecks
The show focuses on roughnecks and billionaires in West Texas who are trying to get rich as the oil industry continues to take over the state.
—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
But this is a look at the more dynamic version, like the roughnecks out in the patch and the offices in Dallas and Fort Worth.
—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Nov. 2025
Local agency Legacy Casting is putting out a call for real-life oil and gas workers, or roughnecks, to appear in the show.
—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Aug. 2025
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
But this is a look at the more dynamic version, like the roughnecks out in the patch and the offices in Dallas and Fort Worth.
—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Nov. 2025
Local agency Legacy Casting is putting out a call for real-life oil and gas workers, or roughnecks, to appear in the show.
—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roughnecks
Noun
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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.
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People have committed suicide because a bunch of thugs went after them.
Noun
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If criminals have enough information to keep attacking your accounts, a credit freeze can help stop them from opening new credit in your name.
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And historically, denaturalization has been reserved for the most egregious offenders, such as human rights abusers and violent criminals.
Noun
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Neither immigrant family should be linked to violent gangsters, of course.
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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.
Noun
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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).
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There are dogs, bandits, romances, political revolutions, philosophical debates.
Noun
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We’re told that Krem, a human trafficker who leads a group of space pirates known as the Brigands, possesses the strength of 10,000 men.
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The 180-degree view shows everything from packages to porch pirates in sharp HD, and motion alerts pop up instantly on your phone.
Noun
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The new production will follow Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo from their comic book origins to becoming global pop culture icons, battling familiar villains along the way.
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Trump’s great leaders were villains, not heroes.
Noun
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In that version, the character is played by Joe Don Baker, the great character actor known for playing toughs in films like Walking Tall (1973) and Fletch (1985).
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So, while Rue and Maddy are confabbing over milkshakes in a diner, Alamo sends Rue off for a drive with his two toughs, G (Marshawn Lynch) and the icy Bishop (Darrell Britt-Gibson).
Cite this Entry
“Roughnecks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roughnecks. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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