1
as in teams
a group of people working together on a task
a gang of neighborhood residents spent the weekend cleaning up the park
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in cliques
a group of people sharing a common interest and relating together socially
the whole gang went out for pizza the school's computer hackers had their own little gang
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in Mafias
a group involved in secret or criminal activities
politicians promising to stop the growth of inner-city gangs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of gangs
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Criminal gangs are also active.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Fugazi said, referencing her city’s struggle with gangs and violence.
—Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
After playing baseball in college and a short stint in the minors, Lewis started his own business to help other aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly those who had been incarcerated or in gangs, to launch their own companies, his son said.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
He was set to be imprisoned at the Salvadoran mega-prison CECOT, despite a judge's 2019 order that blocked his deportation there on the grounds that he could be harmed by local gangs.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
The tolerance of drugs use led to dealers using Christiania as a base for selling drugs and in turn that led to violent battles by biker gangs for control of that business.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
The city is engulfed in a violent conflict between drug gangs.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
Gran Grif is one of several armed gangs designated last year by Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Criminal gangs are also active.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Fugazi said, referencing her city’s struggle with gangs and violence.
—Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
After playing baseball in college and a short stint in the minors, Lewis started his own business to help other aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly those who had been incarcerated or in gangs, to launch their own companies, his son said.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
He was set to be imprisoned at the Salvadoran mega-prison CECOT, despite a judge's 2019 order that blocked his deportation there on the grounds that he could be harmed by local gangs.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
The tolerance of drugs use led to dealers using Christiania as a base for selling drugs and in turn that led to violent battles by biker gangs for control of that business.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
The city is engulfed in a violent conflict between drug gangs.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangs
Noun
-
Polls suggest that most people want owners to pay for their own stadiums, but sports teams are desired and beloved, a source not only of entertainment but also of civic pride.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The teams meet Sunday in the series finale.—
Pioneer Press,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Their parties became notorious even in my own cliques; my parents knew to expect at least a few dozen teenagers crashing their party, sucking down all the noodles, and sneaking beers in the canyon down below.—
Natasha Pickowicz,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
-
This graph had no cliques — clusters of nodes that are all connected to one another.—
Leila Sloman,
Quanta Magazine,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And while the all-volunteer force has produced the finest military in the world, democracies have historically fielded stronger armies by drawing on the full diversity of talent, perspectives, and experiences of their citizens.—
Zach Iscol,
New York Daily News,
23 Mar. 2026
-
On April 15, 1862, a small battle broke out between the Confederate and Union armies.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Outside the courtroom, the case is already having an impact — especially in South Florida's immigrant communities.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
On this postcard-perfect corner of Canada’s northeastern province of Newfoundland and Labrador that’s slammed by wind and waves, cod-fishing communities hold on to their distinctive settler history.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Caleb Davies, another Kalshi trader who has earned $389,000 in culture markets over the past two years, says that the absence of financial organizations or syndicates of traders with big money allows knowledgeable traders to profit off of people who simply bet on their faves.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The four-hour epic by by Aditya Dahr is the sequel to Dhurandhar ($20 million in North American) and stars Ranveer Singh as an undercover Indian intelligence agent working to infiltrate Pakistani politics and Karachi’s criminal syndicates.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These are in addition to private members clubs The Wilde and Cipriani, among other highlights.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Shane Stant clubs Kerrigan on the knee and flees the scene.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Chapel Hill Road was temporarily closed for several hours as crews worked to clear the area.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Maintenance crews carve up the streets while pedestrians squeeze by, each person absorbed in their own agendas.—
Françoise Mouly,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Massive crowds — estimated to be in the thousands, according to organizers — gathered in Mill Creek Park and marched through the Country Club Plaza on Saturday afternoon in the third installment of the No Kings protests.—
Emily Curiel,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Photos highlight artist performances, fan reactions and standout moments from the Main Stage, Worldwide Stage, Megastructure, The Cove, Live Stage, UMF Radio and Oasis, with major sets from Steve Aoki, Hardwell, Carl Cox, Armin Van Buuren and others drawing some of the day’s biggest crowds.—
Miami Herald newsroom,
Miami Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gangs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangs. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
