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:
For the Daily Telegraph, a picture of Meghan in pink serves to mark her "advanced discussions" to join the cast of the "gangster series" The Gentlemen.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Soon JJ was spending time with Michael - watching gangster films, playing video games and listening to his stories.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 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
“He was a cinephile without us, at the time, even knowing what that term meant. He would bring back really good films. He loved the gangster genre,” Vargas says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026
The crime wave of the 1920s and 1930s, the great gangster era, increased public interest in prisons and punishment, and the interest of Hollywood in particular.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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
Its members have mocked hard-shell cholos and gangsters, often by placing them in funny scenarios.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
And it didn't help that public perception continued to associate tattoos with gangsters and organised crime.
From BBC ● May 29, 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
Prohibition-era gangsters also became known for the cars they drove or were driven in.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
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.
