gangsters

noun

plural of gangster
as in thugs
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang Al Capone remains one of the most notorious gangsters in American history

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 gangsters The only ones making money on alcohol now were gangsters. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 May 2026 The gangsters who are running the country almost pride themselves on a lack of subtlety and finesse. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 May 2026 Neither immigrant family should be linked to violent gangsters, of course. — Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026 The 16 reputed gangsters or aspiring gangsters charged in the indictment range in age from 19 to 24. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2026 Among a slew of criminals and gangsters populating Paramount Plus’ streaming catalog, Mobland has stood out as a hit. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 Sensing this once-great dynasty is in decline, the outback’s most powerful factions — rival cattle barons, desert gangsters, Indigenous elders, and billionaire miners — move in for the kill, with billions of dollars at stake. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 4 June 2026 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. — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026 In Gray’s taut thriller, set in 1980s Brighton Beach; the Gowanus area of Brooklyn; and Great Neck, Long Island, two brothers (Driver and Teller) fall afoul of Russian gangsters in a rapidly transforming city where high-stakes opportunities for riches also come with a high risk of life and limb. — Jada Yuan, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangsters
  1. thugs
  2. criminals
  3. villains
  4. bandits
  5. assassins
  6. pirates
  7. mobsters
Noun
  • 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.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026
  • People have committed suicide because a bunch of thugs went after them.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 7 June 2026
Definition of thugs
Noun
  • Supporters will argue that criminals should not be able to hide behind wallets.
    — Susie Violet Ward, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • And just like Alito, some members of my family have forgotten our history and support Trump or favor some of his immigration policies, dismissing new arrivals as criminals or lazy.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of criminals
Noun
  • After all, the best myths take our normal heroes-and-villains binary and punt it into a million pieces.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
  • Maybe America was too busy wrestling with its own history of siding with the most despicable villains around?
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 July 2026
Definition of villains
Noun
  • Instead, most are romantic stories about young lovers separated by fate, and the rest are swashbuckling adventures full of bandits and pirates.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • Fantastical adventures ensue as the pair encounter a mysterious woman, Alexandra, who has lost her son, along with coyotes, bandits, and some pretty big secrets.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 29 June 2026
Definition of bandits
Noun
  • Lucky Number Slevin, a movie about mistaken identity, rival crime syndicates, and assassins, was, for some reason (Josh Hartnett), one of the comfort movies of my childhood.
    — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 1 July 2026
  • These artisans, with their trade secrets, were kept on Murano, a cluster of islands just across the lagoon from the city, ostensibly as a precaution against fire, though the state would also send assassins after anyone who tried to leave.
    — Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of assassins
Noun
  • The age of sail, when pirates like Johnny Depp’s fictional Jack Sparrow roamed the seven seas, ended about 200 years ago.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Eight pages later, Leucippe has to fake her own beheading to escape from pirates.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
Definition of pirates
Noun
  • In Breaking Bear, a family of furry forest dwellers use everything in their power — including high explosives and drug money — to fight the frackers, mobsters, and a monstrous wolf pack threatening to destroy their home.
    — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 25 June 2026
  • But in April 2005, following an investigation dubbed Operation Family Secrets, 14 Chicago mobsters were charged with 18 then-as-yet-unsolved murders — including those of the Spilotros.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 23 June 2026
Definition of mobsters

Browse Nearby Words

gangsterism
gangsters
gangs up
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Cite this Entry

“Gangsters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangsters. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of gangsters for Spanish Speakers

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