gangster
Americannoun
-
gangsters
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of gangster
Compare meaning
How does gangster compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A gangster is a member of a criminal gang. Gangsters are sometimes called mobsters. A gang is a criminal organization, and a member of such a group is a gangster. Gangsters work together to commit robberies and break the law in other ways. Many famous movies, such as The Godfather, are about gangsters. This word often refers specifically to members of criminal gangs of the 1920s and 30s, when organized crime frequently involved the smuggling of alcohol.
Vocabulary lists containing gangster
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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.
See Examples For:
Soon JJ was spending time with Michael - watching gangster films, playing video games and listening to his stories.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
The Halls believe the posts are designed to project a "gangster image" and gain kudos.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
I think that’s the first time that Yasmin became a gangster.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026
El Dorado is controlled by a gangster known only by his first name, Fabio, a Pablo Escobar-type character who has ingratiated himself with locals through acts of charity.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
I am not a thug, gangster, hoodlum, nor monster.
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
Yestin Duran, a 31-year-old beverage vendor, said she feared that "gangsters and robbers can cross over" more easily from Brazil.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
People are carefully trying to connect the dots, trying to point to places within Dylan’s work where he’s mentioned gangsters or specific moments in American history.
From Salon ● May 12, 2026
Officials no longer talk about eliminating the PCC but managing its uneasy coexistence with the state—often leaving investigators frustrated or stunned by the links between gangsters and the state itself.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026
Some of its most notable inmates have included notorious gangsters Al Capone, Mickey Cohen and George "Machine Gun" Kelly.
From BBC ● Apr. 4, 2026
At fifty-one, he had served in the Coast Guard for most of his working life, and he had been tracking the gangsters for years.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
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.
