Thesaurus results for TOUGHIES

toughies

noun

plural of toughie

as in thugs

a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang after numerous suspensions, the school toughies were finally expelled for gang activities on campus

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 toughies Other toughies are at the not-so-soft Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13, the revenge trip to New England in Week 15 and the Philadelphia Eagles at Highmark Stadium in Week 17. — Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for toughies

Noun

These low-level thugs typically are not believed to be formally aligned with Iran.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
Saint played Edie Doyle, whose brother was murdered by thugs working for a mob boss running a longshoremen's union; her character becomes involved with Brando's pugilistic dockworker Terry Malloy.

— David Morgan, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of thugs

Noun

Directed by Grammy Award-winning filmmaker James Mackel, the visual is three-and-a-half minutes of spy stuff, our hero, dressed to impress, making short work of the many villains who lurk in her hotel.

— Lars Brandle, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2026
One of Batman’s creepiest villains is descending upon the box office this weekend.

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of villains

Noun

Also protect the email account associated with your Social Security profile because criminals may target it to reset other passwords.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Ford placed the inmate’s bid for clemency on the agenda of the state pardons board — an example, Lombardo claims, of the way Ford treats criminals.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of criminals

Noun

The father pulls over, and the car is immediately swarmed over by bandits, who brutally kill him — plus his wife and two kids — with no mercy.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
In the decade of violent conflicts that followed, attacks on border towns and seizures of American property by revolutionaries and bandits prompted the United States to send two military expeditions into Mexico.

— Robert B. Zoellick, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of bandits

Noun

The Capone associates lined up six members of Moran's gang, and a seventh unaffiliated man who apparently liked hanging out with gangsters, against the north wall of the garage.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
For decades, Hollywood actor Danny Trejo’s bread and butter was playing gangsters, prison inmates and other assorted criminals.

— Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of gangsters

Noun

Déclassé warriors, sometimes joined by street toughs from other walks of life, gave themselves the airs of swashbuckling samurai.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of toughs

Noun

Maritime security experts aren’t sure where the pirates are getting their funding.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026
Alas, Medak also is famous for directing the lamentable Ghost in the Noonday Sun (1974), a comedy about bumbling 17th century pirates that starred the combustible Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan.

— Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of pirates

Noun

Instead, Cartwright returns to his deceased grandfather’s home thrilled to see that Baker has successfully evaded both the Russian assassins and MI5’s own rabid dogs.

— K.J. Yossman, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Those two Russian assassins turned out to be significantly more skilled than the horses and perhaps more motivated, too, in seeking revenge for the killing of one of their own.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of assassins

Browse Nearby Words

toughie

toughies

toughing it out

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“Toughies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toughies. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of toughies

noun

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