gang
1 Americannoun
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gangs
plural
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a group or band.
A gang of boys gathered around the winning pitcher.
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a group of youngsters or adolescents who associate closely, often exclusively, for social reasons, especially such a group engaging in delinquent behavior.
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a group of people with compatible tastes or mutual interests who gather together for social reasons.
I'm throwing a party for the gang I bowl with.
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a group of persons working together; squad; shift.
a gang of laborers.
- Synonyms:
- team
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a group of persons associated for some criminal or other antisocial purpose.
a gang of thieves.
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a set of tools, electronic components or circuits, oars, etc., arranged to work together or simultaneously.
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a group of identical or related items.
verb (used with object)
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to arrange in groups or sets; form into a gang.
to gang illustrations for more economical printing on one sheet.
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to attack in a gang.
verb (used without object)
verb phrase
verb (used without object)
noun
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a group of people who associate together or act as an organized body, esp for criminal or illegal purposes
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an organized group of workmen
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a herd of buffaloes or elks or a pack of wild dogs
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a group of shearers who travel to different shearing sheds, shearing, classing, and baling wool
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a series of similar tools arranged to work simultaneously in parallel
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( as modifier )
a gang saw
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verb
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to form into, become part of, or act as a gang
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(tr) electronics to mount (two or more components, such as variable capacitors) on the same shaft, permitting adjustment by a single control
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of gang1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English gang, gong, Old English gang, gong “manner of going, way, passage”; cognate with Old High German gang, Old Norse gangr, Gothic gagg; cf. gang 2
Origin of gang2
First recorded before 900; Middle English gangen, Old English gangan, gongan; cognate with Old High German gangan, Old Norse ganga, Gothic gaggan; cf. gang 1 (noun derivative from same root)
Explanation
A gang is an association or group of criminals. Often, members of one gang will fight violently with another gang. People join gangs for the sense of belonging, as well as for protection by other members. A gang usually claims an area as its territory and defends it against other gangs or unaffiliated criminals. You can also use gang for a group of friends or workers: "A whole gang of us went to the movies together." The Old English root, gang, means "journey." Today's definition comes from the idea of "a band of people traveling together."
Vocabulary lists containing gang
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:
The agency also accused him of gang involvement.
From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026
A police investigation saw inquiries carried out in Poland, Greece, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Colombia, France, Scotland and Wales, where the gang had operations or had fled to in the aftermath of the kidnap.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Vaughns’ territory on Summit Avenue has long been associated with a Pasadena gang, the law enforcement sources said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
On Thursday Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that she was appointing Letitia James as a special prosecutor to investigate the alleged 2024 gang rape at Cornell University.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
"Say," said Bill, "do you know that gang of Pilgrim Fathers have cornered the dining-car until half past three this afternoon?"
From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
A spate of heists at French museums -- including at the Louvre -- has highlighted inadequate security in some cases and led to questions about whether criminal gangs see them as soft targets.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
One of the organisers of the 'Rescue Hoads Wood' campaign said the cleared site would now be "catnip" to both organised gangs and opportunist fly-tippers.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
While “The Outsiders,” may feature two warring teen gangs, it’s all love an hour before the curtain rises on the L.A.-premiere stop of the national tour.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
At Mejuri, big boardroom decisions were soon tied to government inflation data, policy moves in Washington, and even reports of armed gangs turning to gold mining.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
As a young woman, she had played a key role in code breaking during World War I. She later cracked the codes of American mobsters, smashing their crime gangs.
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.
