hooligan

[hoo-li-guhn]

noun

1. a ruffian or hoodlum.

adjective

1. of or like hooligans.

hooligan

/ ˈhuːlɪɡən /

noun

1. slang,  a rough lawless young person

Other Word Forms

• hooliganism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hooligan¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; perhaps after the Irish surname Hooligan, but corroborating evidence is lacking

Word History and Origins

Origin of hooligan¹

C19: perhaps variant of Houlihan, Irish surname

Example Sentences

He later added: "Those who are not welcome in Aston are hooligans that have a long history of violence and vile racism," citing anti-Palestinian chants made by some Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at previous matches.

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One of those, Iqbal Mohammed, posted on X that the safety of locals should be put above the “Zionist and political pressure to let Israeli hooligans and terrorists run riot in our country.”

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Trump pardoned the hooligans who ransacked the Capitol because he lost the 2020 presidential election.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Nawrocki did not deny taking part in hooligan brawls as a younger man, calling them "noble fights".

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He does not deny taking part in football hooligan brawls, and has called them "noble fights".

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Related Words

• criminal 
• delinquent 
• gangster 
• mobster 
• rowdy 
• thug 
• troublemaker 

When To Use

What does hooligan mean?

A hooligan is a person who intentionally makes trouble or breaks the law with rowdy, unruly behavior, especially with other hooligans.Hooligan is synonymous with ruffian and hoodlum, but all three words can sound a little too outdated to capture the seriousness of the trouble that such people can cause.Specifically, the term hooligan is applied to members of groups who use sporting events, especially soccer (football) games, as an opportunity to intentionally cause trouble or incite violence. The practice of doing so is called hooliganism.The term is most often used in the plural because it almost always implies that there is a group of troublemakers—it is somewhat uncommon to refer to someone acting alone as a hooligan.Example: The latest match was canceled after hooligans started a brawl outside the stadium.