as in pirates
a criminal who attacks and steals from travelers and who is often a member of a group of criminals
They were two of the most famous bandits of the 19th century.
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Recent Examples of bandits
Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket NFL fans can make out like bandits with the DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer.
—
Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern were cast as the bumbling but dogged bandits, Harry and Marv, and Catherine O’Hara brought humor and compassion to the part of Kevin’s mother.
—Tim Greiving, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Are there ways that notorious bandits have successfully robbed banks?
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Swashbucklers, scoundrels, bandits and buccaneers will soon be bellying up to the bar inside a lively new pirate pub at Walt Disney World that’s already booked solid for the first two months and promises to be a must-have reservation for visitors.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 29 Aug. 2025
Colossal Cave has a long history of use, including by Indigenous people, early explorers and even as a hideout for bandits.
—Olivia Rose, AZCentral.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Each episode will see the heroes explore new lands — from glittering mining mountains to secret vault cities — solving puzzles, cracking codes and outsmarting digital bandits along the way.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2025
An anonymous tipster called police to say the bandits were trying to sell their loot less than a mile away, and gave the cops Hussein’s Instagram handle, according to court filings.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2025
The film itself lacks much of the original’s charms (here, the dogs don’t speak), and John Hughes’ so-so script borrows heavily from his earlier film Home Alone, right down to the two fumbling bandits (Hugh Laurie and Mark Williams, playing Cruella’s henchmen).
—Staff Author, EW.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern were cast as the bumbling but dogged bandits, Harry and Marv, and Catherine O’Hara brought humor and compassion to the part of Kevin’s mother.
—Tim Greiving, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Are there ways that notorious bandits have successfully robbed banks?
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Swashbucklers, scoundrels, bandits and buccaneers will soon be bellying up to the bar inside a lively new pirate pub at Walt Disney World that’s already booked solid for the first two months and promises to be a must-have reservation for visitors.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 29 Aug. 2025
Colossal Cave has a long history of use, including by Indigenous people, early explorers and even as a hideout for bandits.
—Olivia Rose, AZCentral.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Each episode will see the heroes explore new lands — from glittering mining mountains to secret vault cities — solving puzzles, cracking codes and outsmarting digital bandits along the way.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2025
An anonymous tipster called police to say the bandits were trying to sell their loot less than a mile away, and gave the cops Hussein’s Instagram handle, according to court filings.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2025
The film itself lacks much of the original’s charms (here, the dogs don’t speak), and John Hughes’ so-so script borrows heavily from his earlier film Home Alone, right down to the two fumbling bandits (Hugh Laurie and Mark Williams, playing Cruella’s henchmen).
—Staff Author, EW.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bandits
Noun
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The structure is similar to how pirates and privateers once attacked foreign enemies at sea on behalf of their government.—
Rick Bennett,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
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Stevenson’s pirates are a frighteningly murderous and totally untrustworthy bunch, thriving on threats and duplicity.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Home invasions, vicious biker gangs and a rag-tag task force looking for a group of thieves after a young child goes missing.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Unlike Mare, whose community was cloistered and intimate, Task builds a wider world of dealers, gangsters, and thieves, not always to its benefit.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bandits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bandits. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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