thug
noun
a violent, lawless, or vicious person, especially one who commits a crime such as assault, robbery, or murder.
thugs
-
pluralof thug.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His “total peace” proposal aimed to make similar agreements with the National Liberation Army, or ELN, and like-minded thugs.
From The Wall Street Journal β Jun. 14, 2026
"They began organising traffic and clearing the markets, removing the street vendors who were blocking the roads. We felt protected from thugs and thieves."
From Barron's β Oct. 14, 2025
Braxton: Gaitok’s “eureka” moment when he recognizes the thugs.
From Los Angeles Times β Mar. 30, 2025
Sometimes the best way to show leadership is to just say no, especially to bullies, thieves and thugs.
From Salon β Feb. 24, 2025
It had been nothing, the yellow-green remnants of a crack he’d taken to the face during a training exercise, but apparently Hoede had caught sight of it and didn’t like his guards looking like thugs.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
