as in thugs
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
didn't want her son hanging out with the neighborhood toughs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of toughs
In that version, the character is played by Joe Don Baker, the great character actor known for playing toughs in films like Walking Tall (1973) and Fletch (1985).
—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
So, while Rue and Maddy are confabbing over milkshakes in a diner, Alamo sends Rue off for a drive with his two toughs, G (Marshawn Lynch) and the icy Bishop (Darrell Britt-Gibson).
—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
11 May 2026
The gangland drama is deeper and darker than the domestic one, strengthened by the unexpected portrayal of the Russian toughs as bumbling in their own way.
—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Cazale played the title character, an older man who becomes lost in Manhattan and is harassed by two young toughs, one of whom was portrayed by Pacino.
—
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 Mar. 2026
The local toughs, led by the sadistic Ace Merrill (Kiefer Sutherland), are headed the same way, albeit for different reasons.
—
Sezin Devi Koehler September 1,
EW.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 June 2026
So, while Rue and Maddy are confabbing over milkshakes in a diner, Alamo sends Rue off for a drive with his two toughs, G (Marshawn Lynch) and the icy Bishop (Darrell Britt-Gibson).
—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
11 May 2026
The gangland drama is deeper and darker than the domestic one, strengthened by the unexpected portrayal of the Russian toughs as bumbling in their own way.
—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Cazale played the title character, an older man who becomes lost in Manhattan and is harassed by two young toughs, one of whom was portrayed by Pacino.
—
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 Mar. 2026
The local toughs, led by the sadistic Ace Merrill (Kiefer Sutherland), are headed the same way, albeit for different reasons.
—
Sezin Devi Koehler September 1,
EW.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toughs
Noun
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The actions of these thugs, who should be imprisoned for a long while, is the cause of denying real Knicks fans the chance to watch the game communally.
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People have committed suicide because a bunch of thugs went after them.
Noun
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Neither immigrant family should be linked to violent gangsters, of course.
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One of the most innovative gangsters of the 20th century, Frank Lucas earned the title of Harlem drug kingpin in the late-‘60s and early-‘70s by importing high-quality heroin from Southeast Asia and selling it under the street name Blue Magic.
Noun
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What begins as a chance to escape the routine of his everyday life quickly spirals into a dangerous gathering of powerful criminals, old enemies, and unresolved loyalties.
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That creates the perfect opening for criminals.
Noun
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In the movie, Furiosa is taken from her idyllic home by bandits and grows up shuttled between psychopath Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) and warlord Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme).
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There are dogs, bandits, romances, political revolutions, philosophical debates.
Cite this Entry
“Toughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toughs. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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