yakuza

noun

ya·​ku·​za ˈyä-ku̇-ˌzä 

plural yakuza

1

: a Japanese gangster

2

: an organized crime syndicate in Japan

Examples of yakuza in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ichiban Kasuga, possibly the sweetest, most well-meaning former yakuza to grace any piece of fiction (video games or otherwise), doesn’t question each increasingly silly plot twist or insane mini-game but throws himself into the action with naïve abandon. —Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024

However, the yakuza is known to still engage in a broad sweep of criminal activities, and Japanese citizens remain fearful of the extreme violence the group is known to use. —Davey Winder, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

Ichiban Kasuga, possibly the sweetest, most well-meaning former yakuza to grace any piece of fiction (video games or otherwise), doesn’t question each increasingly silly plot twist or insane mini-game, but throws himself into the action with willing, naïve abandon. —Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 5 June 2024

The question of the season is: Can the supposedly incorruptible Katagiri stay clean under enormous pressure and the yakuza’s threats towards his family? —Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, ruffian, gangster

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined at sense 1