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
After spending the early years of her career in Australia, Kidman started getting work Stateside with roles in Days of Thunder (alongside future ex-husband Tom Cruise) and the gangster flick Billy Bathgate, for which Kidman received her first Golden Globe nomination.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
Warner Bros / Getty Images A review of cooking in film would not be complete without the infamous scene of the gangster Paulie cutting garlic with a razor while cooking an Italian feast in prison in Martin Scorsese's iconic film Goodfellas.
—Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 21 Dec. 2024
His family told the local press that the man responsible for his death was a gangster from a rival group who had been living in exile in South Africa.
—Matthew Bremner, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2025
The group’s chairman is John Chan, a former Chinatown gangster convicted of human trafficking and drug smuggling charges in the mid-2000s who has since become influential in New York politics.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for gangster 
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
Warner Bros / Getty Images A review of cooking in film would not be complete without the infamous scene of the gangster Paulie cutting garlic with a razor while cooking an Italian feast in prison in Martin Scorsese's iconic film Goodfellas.
—Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 21 Dec. 2024
His family told the local press that the man responsible for his death was a gangster from a rival group who had been living in exile in South Africa.
—Matthew Bremner, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2025
The group’s chairman is John Chan, a former Chinatown gangster convicted of human trafficking and drug smuggling charges in the mid-2000s who has since become influential in New York politics.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for gangster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangster
Noun
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Although the new government seems willing to listen to Alawite concerns, there’s a lingering resentment, with many pointing to the community’s complicity in torture and war crimes — whether in the security services or gangs of thugs known as the shabiha — over the 14 years of the conflict.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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There was a time, not long ago, when men who lifted weights for fun were seen as either thugs or narcissists.—
Danielle Friedman,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Every day Americans are safer because of the violent criminals that President Trump's administration is removing from our communities.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
31 Jan. 2025
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Trump’s false claims about other countries emptying their jails of violent criminals to prey on Americans have been fact-checked and denied.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
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His affinity for wrestling villains, or heels, adds another layer to his potential return.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
25 Jan. 2025
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Like Adeyemi/Emilia Pérez, The Brutalist could become the villain of the whole race if someone doesn’t intervene to stop it.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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At least 49 businesses have been robbed so far in the spree, according to the United Bodegas of America (UBA) trade group, which is offering a $5,000 bounty on the bandits.—
Michael Ruiz,
Fox News,
17 Jan. 2025
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Several warring factions exist within the Zone, as well as lone bandits and stalkers.—
Issy van der Velde,
Rolling Stone,
20 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Peter and Rose are then tossed into a world of conspiracy involving White House officials, a metro bombing, assassins, the vice president's daughter, and Peter's own father — who, according to official record, was a traitor to his country.—
Ashley Boucher,
EW.com,
23 Jan. 2025
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The assassins were working for Gordon Wick (Ben Cotton), the real culprit behind the DC Metro bombing along with Vice President Redfield (Christopher Shyer).—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Naomi Watts had her Hollywood breakthrough as an aspiring actress in LA who befriends a woman (Laura Elena Harring) suffering from amnesia after a car accident, and the two come on the radar of a smarmy film director (Justin Theroux) who's being threatened by mobsters.—
Brian Truitt,
USA TODAY,
16 Jan. 2025
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As The National Museum of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement wrote in a 2022 article concerning the movie's development, mobsters Genovese and Costello worked for the Luciano crime family.—
Tommy McArdle,
People.com,
14 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near gangster
Cite this Entry
“Gangster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangster. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.
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