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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 thug
Peace isn’t easy to come by, though the motorcycle thugs who swing by to bully the locals and squeeze money out of the businesses don’t offer much resistance.
—
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
Some people are thugs for life.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Hutch screams at thugs during a four-on-one melee, and the irony is only flesh-wound deep.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2025
As the ship prepared to leave port, the G men arrived, handcuffed the thug and dragged him away.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thug
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
Some people are thugs for life.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Hutch screams at thugs during a four-on-one melee, and the irony is only flesh-wound deep.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2025
As the ship prepared to leave port, the G men arrived, handcuffed the thug and dragged him away.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thug
Noun
-
The pic is a story about a gangster in modern-day Chicago, inspired by the repentance story of the fifth-century saint of the same name.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
-
That‘s led to an artist like Thug wanting to be perceived as a gangster more than a savvy businessman, even with a precarious 15-year probation over his head.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Lawmakers in many states have changed the rules in recent decades to protect winners from being targeted by criminals and unscrupulous people asking for money.—
Safiyah Riddle,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Her Eco-Age consultancy, targeted by criminals and forced to close in 2024 after 17 years in business, had advised clients on industry developments, changes to government policies and practical guidance on how to avoid greenwashing.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Vineland’s repressive villain Brock Vond ends ferried to hell by two Eastside vatos locos, while the hippie father Zoyd reunites with his daughter at an anarchist family picnic.—
John Lopez,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Sep. 2025
-
There are villains in every episode and the story uses them to showcase some societal issues.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
With the help of an unpredictable assassin named Louie (Butler, who also plays the Pope), the pair embark on a dark and murderous journey to steal and authenticate the priceless work.—
Nada Aboul Kheir,
Deadline,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The two Kill Bill films, while still about crime and criminals and ninja assassins, set themselves apart from his earlier works.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern were cast as the bumbling but dogged bandits, Harry and Marv, and Catherine O’Hara brought humor and compassion to the part of Kevin’s mother.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Are there ways that notorious bandits have successfully robbed banks?—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Convenience is one of the biggest appeals to would-be thieves, so the security of a lock will be a large deterrent—especially if your bag is in plain view throughout your flight.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
-
And just a few months before that, during a brutal heatwave, Free Press Personal Finance Columnist Susan Tompor wrote about a twist in which fraudsters used the internet to post fake numbers leading customers to the thieves.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Whereas the Star Wars sequels woefully misused the actor's talents, this movie puts them center stage, playing one of the teen hoodlums who join forces with their victim to fight off nasty, otherworldly invaders.—
Chris Snellgrove,
EW.com,
12 Aug. 2025
-
However, hoodlums and thugs who throw objects at the players give up their rights and should be removed, charged, and possibly jailed.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Both government departments and local market regulators have intensified their efforts to target pirate Labubu businesses, according to the official newspaper of China National Intellectual Property Administration in early July.—
Haicen Yang,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
-
For decades, the characters in science-fiction movies and TV shows who traveled on spaceships tended to be scientists, explorers, diplomats, soldiers, and pirates.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thug. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share