thug

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Datamuse reports no synonyms or antonyms for this word.

Noun

1. A person who is a member of a gang or criminal organization.
2. A violent, aggressive, or [[truculent]] person.
3. A criminal that [[extorts]] people.
4. A person who use [[intimidation]] to [[coerce]] others.
5. {{lb|en|historical}} One of a [[band]] of [[assassin]]s formerly active in northern [[India]] who [[worship]]ped {{w|Kali}} and sacrificed their [[victim]]s to her.
6. {{lb|en|AAVE}} One who, usually as a result of social disadvantage, has turned to committing [[crime]]s (e.g. selling drugs, robbery, assault, etc.) to make a living; a [[gangsta]].
7. {{lb|en|horticulture}} An overvigorous plant that spreads and dominates the flowerbed.
8. A wooden [[bat]] used in the game of [[miniten]], fitting around the player's hand.

Verb

1. {{lb|en|informal|transitive}} To commit acts of [[thuggery]], to live the life of a thug, to [[menace]], to commit [[crime]].
2. {{lb|en|informal|transitive}} {{lb|en|often|with ''out''}} To appear as a thug; to dress and act in a manner reminiscent of a thug.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.