Thesaurus results for ROWDIES

rowdies

noun

plural of rowdy

as in thugs

a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang rowdies had overtaken the neighborhood and were threatening people on the street

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rowdies

Noun

These low-level thugs typically are not believed to be formally aligned with Iran.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
Saint played Edie Doyle, whose brother was murdered by thugs working for a mob boss running a longshoremen's union; her character becomes involved with Brando's pugilistic dockworker Terry Malloy.

— David Morgan, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of thugs

Noun

According to investigators cited by NBC News, the criminals have shown planning and sophistication by employing techniques like GPS location spoofing and even arranging collisions with police escort vehicles.

— Nick Indge, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026
Without changing state law, criminals can continue to be sentenced to death in California.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of criminals

Noun

The Capone associates lined up six members of Moran's gang, and a seventh unaffiliated man who apparently liked hanging out with gangsters, against the north wall of the garage.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
For decades, Hollywood actor Danny Trejo’s bread and butter was playing gangsters, prison inmates and other assorted criminals.

— Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of gangsters

Noun

Attacks by bandits are common across northern Nigeria where armed groups carry out attacks against civilian populations.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Attacks by bandits are common across northern Nigeria, where armed groups carry out attacks against civilian populations.

— Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of bandits

Noun

His warning was meant for American eyes and ears at least as much — if not more so — than for the government in Jerusalem that until now has encouraged the hoodlums by tolerating their violence.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
In the past decade, the leadership of the Kinahan organization has become rich and cosmopolitan, and their life styles have started to resemble those of international businessmen more than of street hoodlums.

— Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026

Definition of hoodlums

Noun

Much psychological research has focussed on the degradation of villains, but a symmetrical force works to elevate victims.

— Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026
Catwoman For a sexy twist on your classic cat makeup, channel one of the comic book world's most beloved villains.

— Michella Oré, Glamour, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of villains

Noun

The others were ruffians, teasers, always angling to drink whatever was left in some grownup’s glass.

— George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
But as with any good Leonard story, the best moments come from the characters, a rogues’ gallery of violent ruffians and neurotic, duplicitous scoundrels.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of ruffians

Noun

Eventually, allegory overwhelms dramaturgy, with a group of soccer hooligans—emblems of the volatility of men under threat—playing a pivotal role in Leo’s end.

— Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026
Literally after the film, there was false-flag stuff from the extreme right, who were dressed as hooligans, dressed as cops.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of hooligans

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.

Browse Nearby Words

rowboats

rowdies

rowdiness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rowdies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rowdies. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of rowdies

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

valorous

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes