: a brutal person : bully
Synonyms
Examples of ruffian in a Sentence
a gang of ruffians preying upon people who ventured into that section of town
Recent Examples on the Web
Friends and neighbors worried that these rumors could attract dangerous young ruffians who might harm them and steal the money.
—
Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 15 Dec. 2024
Troy Stecher is a puck-mover with some two-way ability but is not considered a ruffian in the corners and in front of the net.
—Allan Mitchell, The Athletic, 9 Aug. 2024
Then again, the fight scene did that on its own, sounding more refined than ruffian.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2024
Despite their reputation as ruffians from the sticks, RSF troops are battle tested, disciplined, and armed to the teeth.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 27 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ruffian 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 15 Dec. 2024
Troy Stecher is a puck-mover with some two-way ability but is not considered a ruffian in the corners and in front of the net.
—Allan Mitchell, The Athletic, 9 Aug. 2024
Then again, the fight scene did that on its own, sounding more refined than ruffian.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2024
Despite their reputation as ruffians from the sticks, RSF troops are battle tested, disciplined, and armed to the teeth.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 27 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ruffian
Articles Related to ruffian
Dictionary Entries Near ruffian
Cite this Entry
“Ruffian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruffian. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share