as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
a gang of ruffians preying upon people who ventured into that section of town
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Recent Examples of ruffian
The building, erected in 1915 as the Rieger Hotel, served traveling salesmen, railroad ruffians and gangsters in the early 20th Century.
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David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2024
And America’s democratic allies, who well understand the importance of U.S. democratic leadership to the global cause of freedom, have been badly shaken by the images of ruffians rampaging through the world’s most powerful democratic assembly
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—Larry Diamond, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2021
He was also occasionally harassed on the property; some local ruffians tried to break down its door, and others once beat him and left him for dead.
—Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023
View Photos From the June 1997 issue of Car and Driver.
Don't look now, but the wood-and-leather-lined halls of luxury sport-ute-dom have been invaded by a ruffian.
—Frank Markus, Car and Driver, 9 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ruffian 
David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2024
And America’s democratic allies, who well understand the importance of U.S. democratic leadership to the global cause of freedom, have been badly shaken by the images of ruffians rampaging through the world’s most powerful democratic assembly
Get unlimited access to all Foreign Affairs.
—Larry Diamond, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2021
He was also occasionally harassed on the property; some local ruffians tried to break down its door, and others once beat him and left him for dead.
—Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023
View Photos From the June 1997 issue of Car and Driver.
Don't look now, but the wood-and-leather-lined halls of luxury sport-ute-dom have been invaded by a ruffian.
—Frank Markus, Car and Driver, 9 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ruffian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruffian
Noun
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The climax, in which Dwight and his crew beat a group of nameless Chinese immigrant thugs into submission after they’re used as cannon fodder by Cal Thresher to sabotage Dwight’s wind turbines, is more important to the plot and even uglier.Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2024
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Like other Diablo games, Hades would support cooperative multiplayer, but in the Arkham games, groups of thugs would circle around the Dark Knight, comic-book style, waiting to be punched in the face.Jason Schreier, WIRED, 8 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Marlena’s John is an iconic hero, and unfailingly rescuing her from all matter of villains.Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024
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The film stars, of all people, Hugh Grant, who is said to have an amazing turn as a villain in the film.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Its undeniably a humanitarian crisis and a very real security threat because of drug cartels, criminals and terrorists crossing the border.Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024
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The Jordanians will soar like eagles to hunt you down, one criminal after another.Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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But the pandemic-era inflationary period played out unlike any other in history, and wealthy people made out like bandits.Allison Morrow, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
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When the film starts, a cursed bandit of pirates led by Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) are aboard Sparrow’s former ship, the Black Pearl, and have kidnapped Turner’s love interest, Elizabeth Swann (Knightley).Yasmeen Hamadeh, People.com, 27 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Many Japanese action films are too much about fantasy, either Yakuza [gangsters] or serial killers.Patrick Frater, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
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Tyler takes aim at the masks people wear to hide from their true selves, evoking a middle-class gangster and a closeted religious zealot.Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Tickets went on sale Thursday for the illuminated tradition, a 1.5-mile crawl through the park with thousands of twinkling lights creating tunnels, elves, snowflakes, a basketball-tossing Santa, pirate ships and even dinosaurs.Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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One young girl stared slack-jawed in shock at Rodrigo while the other crew of kids with her — including a few Care Bears and a pirate — grabbed handfuls of treats from her bowl.Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Harris' lead is driven by older women voters and women independents. Nov. 3: Trump escalates violent rhetoric, suggesting at a Pennsylvania rally that an assassin would have to shoot through the news media to hit him.Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
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And during this year’s election, the FBI foiled a plot by Iran to pay an assassin $1 million to kill Donald Trump.Brian Bennett, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Statewide, after national media for years showed images of thieves ransacking drug stores, Californians approved a ballot measure that tightened penalties on theft.Julia Prodis Sulek, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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Others, such as the Dickensian gang of thieves that briefly take George in, feel like they might have been airlifted in from a collegiate production of Oliver Twist.David Fear, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Ruffian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruffian. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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