as in gangster
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the Mob boss regularly sent his thugs after people who were slow to pay their debts
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of thug
Although the film became a template for white revenge fantasies, its street thugs are assembled with almost comic care to avoid racial bias.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
This unassuming stranger will be her doom, but not in the straightforward sense of a thug like Jerry.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Your threat to this criminal regime has also kept the regime's thugs at bay.
—Tucker Reals, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Before this time, young Russians grew up in bleak, rough neighborhoods ruled by street thugs.
—Mikhail Zygar, Vanity Fair, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thug
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
This unassuming stranger will be her doom, but not in the straightforward sense of a thug like Jerry.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Your threat to this criminal regime has also kept the regime's thugs at bay.
—Tucker Reals, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
Before this time, young Russians grew up in bleak, rough neighborhoods ruled by street thugs.
—Mikhail Zygar, Vanity Fair, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thug
Noun
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In 1991, Pesci won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of real-life gangster Tommy DeVito in Goodfellas.—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
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His acting run continued in August with a role as a gangster in Caught Stealing, which, while less commercially successful, provided another strong entry in Bad Bunny’s growing film portfolio.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Immigration and Integration Minister Rasmus Stoklund said 315 foreign criminals from countries outside the European Union had received sentences of more than a year over the last five years but were not expelled.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
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The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment, but officials there have broadly defended the department’s actions as not only justified but necessary for ensuring the rule of law and holding alleged criminals to account.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Picking winners and losers, heroes and villains, pathways to success and failure, generates excitement for an event and manufactures a sense of urgency for maximal viewing pleasure.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
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What the late Ka did to build resolve against the unforgiving brutalities of Brownsville, Marci combines with the flair of a Bond villain and contempt for anyone attempting to copy his mold.—
Dylan Green,
Pitchfork,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Miller called him an assassin on social media; Vice President JD Vance reposted the message.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The 384-page hardcover focuses on the game's main antagonist, crime lord Jaylen Vrax, and his intimidating assassin droid ND-5.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The authentic Denver and Rio Grande train that has operated at Knott’s since 1952 boasts the highest crime rate in all of Orange County with the notorious Ghost Town bandits robbing every departure from the Calico Square depot.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
21 Jan. 2026
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Whiskey Row celebrates Prescott's Old West history, with saloons once occupied by outlaws and bandits.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Amateur thief stories and epic gangster sagas await you.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
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Plus, investing in good clothes isn’t a bad idea for a street thief like Harry, who should want to evade suspicion.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But as Duterte’s father, Vicente, had increasingly gravitated toward Malacañang, his son hung out with the family bodyguards—and crafted the persona of a rough-talking bugoy, or hoodlum, in his native Bisayan tongue.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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These involve raiding the lairs of hoodlum rivals, then singlehandedly dissuading them from competition.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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From the days of colonists and pirates to the more modern era (of, say, bankers and lawyers servicing offshore corporations), its touristic charms have gone largely unappreciated.—
John Bowe,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2026
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On the island’s western end, Fort Frederik is a spectacular example of an 18th-century Danish masonry fort, originally constructed to protect the natural deep-water port from pirates and rival nations.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thug. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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