as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
a gang of ruffians preying upon people who ventured into that section of town
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruffian
And then there was Post Malone, the rapping, rocking everyman who has replaced Kid Rock as America’s favorite ruffian.
—
Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2024
Read More: Fans React to Beyoncé's New Album Cowboy Carter
Once seen as ruffians and pushed to the outskirts of Victorian society, cowboys were reinvented as rugged cultural heroes in the American consciousness in the early 20th century through dime novels, rodeos, movies, and more.
—TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
The building, erected in 1915 as the Rieger Hotel, served traveling salesmen, railroad ruffians and gangsters in the early 20th Century.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2024
And America’s democratic allies, who well understand the importance of U.S. democratic leadership to the global cause of freedom, have been badly shaken by the images of ruffians rampaging through the world’s most powerful democratic assembly
Get unlimited access to all Foreign Affairs.
—Larry Diamond, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2021
See All Example Sentences for ruffian
Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2024
Read More: Fans React to Beyoncé's New Album Cowboy Carter
Once seen as ruffians and pushed to the outskirts of Victorian society, cowboys were reinvented as rugged cultural heroes in the American consciousness in the early 20th century through dime novels, rodeos, movies, and more.
—TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
The building, erected in 1915 as the Rieger Hotel, served traveling salesmen, railroad ruffians and gangsters in the early 20th Century.
—David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2024
And America’s democratic allies, who well understand the importance of U.S. democratic leadership to the global cause of freedom, have been badly shaken by the images of ruffians rampaging through the world’s most powerful democratic assembly
Get unlimited access to all Foreign Affairs.
—Larry Diamond, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2021
See All Example Sentences for ruffian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruffian
Noun
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Ultra Man is sort of Lex's thug and is pretty powerful.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 June 2025
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This will reveal paid fake thugs posing as protesters becoming violent.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
Noun
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Two of the game’s most brilliant villains have matured into eloquent eulogists.—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
30 June 2025
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For an industry which has long been treated by the television and film industries as a dirty, dangerous business run by unethical, cartoon-ish villains like J.R. Ewing, such a balanced portrayal is a welcome change, indeed.—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Noun
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As crypto holders become increasingly savvy online, criminals start resorting to physical attacks.—
Marie Poteriaieva,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
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According to his campaign website, some of his goals include increasing police presence, protecting undocumented immigrants but deporting violent criminals, taxing the rich, and eliminating waste.—
Emily Chang,
ABC News,
24 June 2025
Noun
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To make matters even worse, snow pirates, survivalists, bandits, the colonial military force NEVEC, and other factions are fighting over land and resources.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
27 June 2025
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But the project is also right at home for Laika, as it’s set in a secret forest just outside of Laika’s home in Portland and follows a girl whose baby brother is taken into the forest, only to discover an exotic world of talking animals and bandits.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
25 June 2025
Noun
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The all-star cast for the limited series includes Kevin Hart as Chicken Man, the organizer of the party, Taraji P. Henson as his right hand woman Vivian Thomas, Samuel L. Jackson as gangster Frank Moten, and Don Cheadle as J.D. Hudson, the cop trying to figure out who really orchestrated the crime.—
Marcus Jones,
IndieWire,
20 June 2025
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Creature With the Atom Brain sees a gangster force a German scientist to reanimate the dead with atomic radiation in order to pull off crimes (recalling both Frankenstein and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, films that fit neatly alongside the zombie genre).—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
18 June 2025
Noun
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Porch pirates Mail theft in Virginia will soon be a Class 6 felony, which means people caught stealing mail or packages can be punished by imprisonment for one to five years and/or a fine of up to $2,500.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
22 June 2025
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Over the centuries, Spanish conquistadors brought horses whose descendants now roam wild; the pirate Blackbeard fought his final sea battle near Ocracoke Island in the south; and the Wright Brothers took their first successful flight.—
Kate Lewis,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
Noun
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In the twilight of her career, Parker still showed flashes of the once baby-haired assassin who shook up the WNBA.—
Anthony De Leon,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
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The Day of the Jackal follows a professional British assassin called the Jackal (Eddie Redmayne), known only for his ruthless and mysterious methods, and Bianca Pullman (Lashana Lynch), an MI6 agent intent on hunting him down.—
Ryan Fleming,
Deadline,
19 June 2025
Noun
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No one was held at gunpoint, there were no injuries, and the thieves made away with more than $100 million worth of jewelry in a matter of minutes.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
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These simple bags keep your wallet, passport, phone, and other valuables close to your body and safe from thieves.—
Genevieve Cepeda,
Travel + Leisure,
19 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruffian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruffian. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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