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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gangster
Grabinski’s second directorial effort follows Mike (James Marsden) and Nick (Vince Vaughn), partners for a gangster organization, in what starts as a buddy comedy.
—
Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
Tan France will also return as Zubair, the British Pakistani gangster first seen in Season 1.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
The single arrived alongside a music directed by Luis De Pena and Yaslynn Rivera, which pays homage to classic West Coast gangster films.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors used details from the home takeover to argue for a lengthy prison term, describing how Serrano and other gangsters took advantage of an 84-year-old woman who had dementia.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gangster
Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
Tan France will also return as Zubair, the British Pakistani gangster first seen in Season 1.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 2 Apr. 2026
The single arrived alongside a music directed by Luis De Pena and Yaslynn Rivera, which pays homage to classic West Coast gangster films.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors used details from the home takeover to argue for a lengthy prison term, describing how Serrano and other gangsters took advantage of an 84-year-old woman who had dementia.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gangster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangster
Noun
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The thugs would insinuate themselves into the confidence of wayfarers and, when a favorable opportunity presented itself, strangle them by throwing a handkerchief or noose around their necks.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
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No government masked thugs shooting down our neighbors in the streets.—
Diego Parrado,
Vanity Fair,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Göring, played by Russell Crowe, is the troubling centerpiece of James Vanderbilt’s ambitious film devoted to the trial of the major Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg in 1945–1946.—
Alice Kaplan,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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Also included is a 13% increase in funding for the Department of Justice to focus on violent criminals and a $481 million increase in funding to enhance aviation safety and support an air traffic controller hiring surge.—
LISA MASCARO,
Arkansas Online,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Then there’s Haim, so full of venom and vitriol, who depending on one’s perspective is low-key the hero or villain of the film.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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Javier Bardem’s Oscar-winning performance as Anton Chigurh in the Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men remains an iconic villain turn 20 years later.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Set against mountainous landscapes and rural lakes, the story follows a wandering swordsman who is falsely accused of stealing a shipment of gold and must unravel a web of intrigue involving bandits, palace guards and corrupt officials while attempting to clear his name.—
Lin Ying-Hsuan,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
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Alongside attacks by bandits, Nigeria is also plagued by an insurgency fought by the Boko Haram extremist group and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In the latest episode that aired on Sunday, Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) and his team were hot on the heels of Vaggan (Franka Potente), but the assassin was always one step ahead.—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2026
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Lillian Cross, a doctor’s wife, ended up standing near the would-be assassin.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Industry associates whispered to Vanity Fair in 1996 about Mottola adopting shady mobster tactics in his running of Sony, demanding loyalty and allegedly keeping a gun in his briefcase.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2026
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Additionally, Tan France will return as British crime mobster Zubair alongside series regulars Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh, Poorna Jagannathan, and Fred Armisen.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gangster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangster. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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