as in thug
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
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Recent Examples of gangster
McKenzie, a former gangster who spent seven years in prison, was once a spinner and his ministry has promoted the sport in recent years.
—
Semafor Staff, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, film audiences were flocking to gangster fare like Public Enemy, Little Caesar or Scarface – the bad guys bashing the establishment.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
On the page, ex-gangster Henry Hill’s story is exciting enough.
—Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Violent gangsters ran fentanyl and human smuggling over the Rio Grande.
—Ioan Grillo, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gangster
Semafor Staff, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, film audiences were flocking to gangster fare like Public Enemy, Little Caesar or Scarface – the bad guys bashing the establishment.
—Peter Bart, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
On the page, ex-gangster Henry Hill’s story is exciting enough.
—Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
Violent gangsters ran fentanyl and human smuggling over the Rio Grande.
—Ioan Grillo, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gangster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangster
Noun
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Cabello, once Maduro's chief thug, can now be seen sitting across from high level Trump officials in meetings discussing business deals.—
Margaret Brennan,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
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He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Lamont and other Democrats said the raises were well deserved because the state needs to recruit workers for difficult jobs that include prison guards dealing with dangerous criminals and social workers dealing with troubled families in the state Department of Children and Families.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2026
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Even before his arrest, there were signs that the Emirates was becoming less tolerant toward major criminals.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In its earlier days, The Boys might have done something with how Nanjiani’s Eternals and Rogen’s The Green Hornet both underperformed, and the Kick-Ass movies in which Mintz-Plasse played a villain left little cultural footprint.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
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Most of his videos, filmed in a local studio or sometimes on the streets of Charlotte, are high-quality shorts showing him in throes of battle with classic villains like Killer Croc or Bane.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Fleeing into the desert with her father, she is hunted by a merciless army and forced to trust a legendary bandit (Mackie) with secrets of his own.—
Mark Meszoros,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
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The movie is understood to follow a sheriff and a doctor who seek revenge against a group of bandits who use the cover of a torrential thunderstorm to rob and terrorize the occupants of a small town.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But now, Williams is facing a felony charge after participating in senior assassin, a popular tag-style game where teens hunt down their opponents with Nerf and water guns.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
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That’s not to say that a background check would have flagged Allen as a potential presidential assassin.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
Noun
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The indictment presents a detailed and devastating narrative of how, for years, officials in Sinaloa have allegedly worked hand in hand with mobsters, enriching themselves and allowing the gang to operate with seeming impunity.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
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But the Shedd outlasted the mobsters and Lord knows what else in its home city’s colorful history and now is trying to raise $500 million over eight years in honor of its pending 100th anniversary in 2030.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gangster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangster. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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