hooliganism

noun

hoo·​li·​gan·​ism ˈhü-li-gə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce hooliganism (audio)
Synonyms of hooliganismnext
: rowdy, violent, or destructive behavior

Examples of hooliganism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Robson was United’s best player of the 1980s at a time when crowds were down and the sport was blighted by hooliganism. — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026 England fans were once closely associated with hooliganism on the international stage, especially during the 1980s and 1990s. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 15 July 2026 With hooliganism rife in English soccer in the 1980s, a narrative blaming drunken, ticketless and rowdy Liverpool fans was created by police, and was only overturned by years of campaigning by victims’ families. — ABC News, 14 July 2026 English soccer fans have earned a reputation for violent hooliganism, hurling plastic chairs and brawling their way across the piazzas and boulevards of Europe. — Alexander Smith, NBC news, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hooliganism

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hooliganism was in 1898

Rhymes for hooliganism

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Browse Nearby Words

hooligan
hooliganism
hoolihan
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Cite this Entry

“Hooliganism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hooliganism. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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