hooligan
Americannoun
adjective
noun
Usage
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 Hooligan is synonymous with ruffian and hoodlum, but all three words can sound a little too outdated to capture the seriousness of the trouble that such people can cause.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.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hooligan
First recorded in 1895–1900; perhaps after the Irish surname Hooligan, but corroborating evidence is lacking
Explanation
A hooligan is a rowdy person who causes trouble for others. Hooligans are similar to bullies and thugs. This is a slightly old-fashioned word for a troublemaker, especially a violent troublemaker. People who start a fight during a sports event are acting like hooligans. In fact, this word is used often for people who start fights at soccer matches, but anyone acting rowdy or obnoxious could be considered a hooligan. Often, hooligans are gang members or criminals. If you see a group of hooligans, it’s probably a good idea to avoid them.
Vocabulary lists containing hooligan
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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
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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.
The BBC's review found the rap-heavy Hooligan audacious, the Jersey club-styled FYA "deliciously dark" and the album itself "a genuine return to form".
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
She said Turen encouraged her to begin her Hooligan Dreams production company, mentored her and “understood the power of the totality of these gifts even before I did.”
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 16, 2023
And that was something that I never experienced before, even making Hooligan Sparrow and One Child Nation.
From Slate • Jan. 28, 2021
The Hooligan Dirt Dash, which typically draws about 1,500 people, will have a capacity of 100 people.
From Washington Times • Sep. 2, 2020
I walked out and down to Hooligan Alley, and then on the other side of the street.
From Rolling Stones by Henry, O.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
