as in thugs
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruffians
Ciri, unbeknowest to her surrogate ma and pa, is free of her Nilfgaardian captors and on the run with a band of adolescent ruffians, and perhaps figuring out how to take care of herself.
—
Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
When both young people meet their end the Baron saves Christina by putting Hans’ brain in Christina’s body, uniting their blurred identities in a joint thirst for revenge, creating a Gothic avenger who hunts down the aristocratic ruffians who ruined their happiness.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
When both young people meet their end the Baron saves Christina by putting Hans’ brain in Christina’s body, uniting their blurred identities in a joint thirst for revenge, creating a Gothic avenger who hunts down the aristocratic ruffians who ruined their happiness.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruffians
Noun
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Even the Democrat hacks at Massport understood the insanity of dumping hundreds more of these thugs into one of the few functioning hubs of commercial activity left in New England.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
28 Nov. 2025
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Of course, Sarah and her mom continue to believe that God is on their side, even after the family home is attacked by oil company thugs and a reliable ally winds up on the wrong end of a shotgun.—
Joe Leydon,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The first thing to do is to reduce the damage to the United States, the inflow of guns and criminals and immigrants and drugs into the United States, the destabilizing of a key part of the Western Hemisphere.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
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Also, place freezes with ChexSystems and the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange to stop criminals from opening bank accounts, phone lines, or utility services in his name.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The epicenter of proliferation of these signs is Houston, which had been fighting these little bandits for years.—
Dave Lieber,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Jan. 2026
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There can be no doubt that in tax terms, America’s wealthiest families make out like bandits.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The gangsters grew powerful running liquor during Prohibition.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
6 Jan. 2026
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Beset by gangs and guns, the Haçienda faltered in the ’90s despite clever-sounding schemes such as replacing the club’s security with the gangsters themselves.—
Andrew Holter,
The Atlantic,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The owners who pack up their teams and leave are forever villains in their old markets.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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Making lynxes the villains was also intentional.—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Inside, you’ll be transported to the golden age of piracy and meet actors portraying famous pirates of the past, Wallsmith said.—
Kari Barnett,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2026
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The effect brings to mind a fortress of serenity crafted by the pirates and explorers who landed here centuries ago and vowed never to leave.—
Gemma Price,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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When a father seeking vengeance, an American operative experiencing a string of bad luck, and several independent assassins hailing from around the world all end up on the same bullet train bound for Kyoto, the results are violent — and the survivors minimal.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Dec. 2025
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The situation gets more complex with the addition of a bunch of oddball assassins trying to murder the neighbor, plus other mysterious and shady types like his former associate Laverne (Weaver).—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Brewer said the thieves also stole the radar sensor from her husband's Honda.—
Andrew Adeolu,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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As previously reported by PEOPLE, thieves entered Sanders' residence through an unlocked door and allegedly stole $200,000 in items in 12 minutes’ time, according to Medina County Sheriff’s Office deputies.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruffians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruffians. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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