gangs 1 of 2

noun

plural of gang
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

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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

gangs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of gang
as in groups

Related Words

Dissimilar 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
Noun
In Ecuador, local criminal gangs allied with Colombian and Mexican cartels manage the routes and ship the narcotics, 80% of which originate in Colombia and the rest in Peru. — CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026 Ecuador National Police via AP In Ecuador, local criminal gangs allied with Colombian and Mexican cartels manage the routes and ship the narcotics, 80% of which originate in Colombia and the rest in Peru. — CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 Shakur’s killing capped a series of escalating threats involving a group of people tied to Compton gangs, including Davis. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 They were seen close to the border with Zamfara state, where armed gangs who frequently raid Nigerian towns and villages are concentrated. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 The gangs survived because their power extended far beyond the streets. — Robert Muggah, The Conversation, 10 Aug. 2026 The report said armed gangs also attacked public and private buildings, leading to the suspension of most commercial activities and basic services in the neighborhoods affected by the violence. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2026 The military has also been stretched by efforts to combat armed gangs carrying out mass kidnappings for ransom, and fighting between semi-nomadic herdsmen and settled farmers in states across the center of the country. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026 The gangs would pay cattle herders in the vast, ungoverned forests of northern Nigeria to hold the hostages until ransoms were paid. — Alexis Okeowo, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangs
  1. teams
  2. cliques
  3. syndicates
  4. groups
  5. armies
  6. communities
  7. clans
  8. clubs
Noun
  • The Saudi Energy Ministry said a fire had broken out at dawn at a facility belonging to Saudi Aramco’s refinery in Jazan, that was extinguished by the company’s firefighting teams.
    — Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Each of those teams had a co-operative effort woven into their style by their head coach or manager.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of teams
Noun
  • That era involved small cliques of devs talking a big game about decentralization (which often provided a pretext for no accountability) while shilling tokens at all turns.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 20 July 2026
  • Since its inception, social media has been a proving ground for tween fashion and identity, offering under-16s a digital canvas to experiment with their style and form online cliques around niche interests.
    — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 2 July 2026
Definition of cliques
Noun
  • Informal mining is a deep problem in South Africa and is connected to criminal syndicates, according to authorities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • DraftKing's internal data estimates 80% to 90% of prediction market consumer volume comes from betting syndicates and institutional traders, Robins said during the call.
    — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of syndicates
Verb
  • Because humans can readily resolve patterns in motion — when points move in the same direction, the brain groups them into a unified whole — the moving dots appear as faint letters.
    — Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of groups
Noun
  • Conversely, after the war the Soviet Union and its armies had a firm grip on central and eastern Europe.
    — Amy McKenna Britannica Editors Aug. 11, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2026
  • As Rhaenyra slowly descends into a pit of despair and desperation, Daemon and his armies run into some snags on their assault of Tumbleton thanks to the various tricks Lord Ormund has up his sleeves.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of armies
Noun
  • More than 30 independent bookstores across North Texas are inviting readers to explore their shelves, collect passport stamps, and discover the communities that make each shop unique.
    — CBS News Texas Staff, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Renewed flood danger Friday Iowa and northwestern Illinois face the greatest risk of flooding rain Friday — a Level 3 of 4 — but more storms are targeting communities in Indiana and Ohio already soaked this week.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of communities
Noun
  • All Palestinian clans and families in Gaza would also be a target for disarmament, which would have an impact on the future of Hamas and Palestinian armed struggle.
    — Mkhaimar Abusada, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Scores attach to a profile, clans compete by country, challenges travel between friends.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of clans
Verb
  • That advantage was in large part offset by payments from UEFA’s ‘value pillar’, a mechanism which awards clubs money based upon their coefficient ranking (determined by past performance in European competition) and the size of their nation’s broadcast rights deal for the competition.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 30 May 2026
  • Their top-30 visits, where NFL clubs host prospects at their facilities to gather further intel, are often smokescreens.
    — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Definition of clubs

Browse Nearby Words

gangrenous
gangs
gangsta
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gangs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangs. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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