Thesaurus results for RUFFIANS

ruffians

noun

plural of ruffian

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

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.

Recent Examples of ruffians 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 The series has lent a cinematic gangster attraction to the Peaky Blinders, yet the term itself was not one gang — as depicted in the show — but a generic expression from the late 19th century for the ‘street ruffians’ of Birmingham, born out of the city’s ring of poverty. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2026 In fact, the GTW ruffians have to give the Big Honey some props for his relative restraint in the heat of the moment. — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruffians

Noun

The residents occasionally gather in a disused rec center but the meetings devolve into rants about immigrants, junkies, thugs and vigilantism.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026
That a Christian man was responsible for the devastation in Oklahoma City certainly didn’t matter to the thugs who terrorized a Muslim woman there, nearly seven months pregnant, by attacking her home, breaking her windows, screaming religious slurs.

— Reshma Memon Yaqub, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of thugs

Noun

Removing violent criminals, gang members, cartel members and those who refuse to work is wise and popular policy.

— Don Bacon, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2026
Americans have demonized us as criminals, buffoons, lechers, invaders, criminals and job stealers since the fall of the Alamo.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of criminals

Noun

Somebody like Gilroy or Jeff Kober and Barry Corbin (popping up occasionally as a pair of geriatric gangsters) will come and go in situations knowingly designed to feel contrived.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
And the next thing, a knock come at the door and these gangsters come in with guns.

— Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of gangsters

Noun

The way it’s framed, both the heroes and the villains can only come from the tech community.

— Rumman Chowdhury, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026
There aren’t any villains here, just young people making young people mistakes and older people making older people mistakes.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of villains

Noun

Still, despite the typical procedural formula with cases tied to gun smugglers, cartel assassins and kidnappings, the show remains topical enough to keep viewers engaged.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026
To that end, the presence of Kyle Soller and MyAnna Buring as the two assassins targeting the Slow Horses has been the new season’s most consistently chilling development.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of assassins

Noun

Adams and Mourtgos, however, didn't examine Flock's effect on break-ins, where thieves steal belongings from parked cars.

— Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Authorities told the company the thieves broke open the back of the vehicles, found nothing of value, and left them.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of thieves

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ruffianly

ruffians

ruffle

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“Ruffians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruffians. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of ruffians

noun

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