as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the short, violence-filled life of an inner-city gangsta
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Recent Examples of gangsta
Compared with Lower Delmas and G9 areas, the graffiti is less revolutionary, more West Coast gangsta; there are portraits of 2Pac and Ice Cube.
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Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2023
Jefferson gives audiences just a brief taste of this manuscript, imagining a stereotypical conversation between two gangstas, played by Keith David and Okieriete Onaodowan.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 Sep. 2023
The East Coast old guard bristled at dance and found the idea of Southern gangsta rap, and Southern women gangsta rappers, laughable.
—Zandria Robinson, Glamour, 2 Nov. 2021
This is James Franco’s caricature of the ultimate Southern gangsta, a creature that’s all cornrows, cocked guns, and cultural appropriation.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2023
See all Example Sentences for gangsta 
Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2023
Jefferson gives audiences just a brief taste of this manuscript, imagining a stereotypical conversation between two gangstas, played by Keith David and Okieriete Onaodowan.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 Sep. 2023
The East Coast old guard bristled at dance and found the idea of Southern gangsta rap, and Southern women gangsta rappers, laughable.
—Zandria Robinson, Glamour, 2 Nov. 2021
This is James Franco’s caricature of the ultimate Southern gangsta, a creature that’s all cornrows, cocked guns, and cultural appropriation.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2023
See all Example Sentences for gangsta
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangsta
Noun
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The climax, in which Dwight and his crew beat a group of nameless Chinese immigrant thugs into submission after they’re used as cannon fodder by Cal Thresher to sabotage Dwight’s wind turbines, is more important to the plot and even uglier.Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2024
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Like other Diablo games, Hades would support cooperative multiplayer, but in the Arkham games, groups of thugs would circle around the Dark Knight, comic-book style, waiting to be punched in the face.Jason Schreier, WIRED, 8 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Many Japanese action films are too much about fantasy, either Yakuza [gangsters] or serial killers.Patrick Frater, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
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Tyler takes aim at the masks people wear to hide from their true selves, evoking a middle-class gangster and a closeted religious zealot.Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Its undeniably a humanitarian crisis and a very real security threat because of drug cartels, criminals and terrorists crossing the border.Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024
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The Jordanians will soar like eagles to hunt you down, one criminal after another.Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Marlena’s John is an iconic hero, and unfailingly rescuing her from all matter of villains.Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024
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The film stars, of all people, Hugh Grant, who is said to have an amazing turn as a villain in the film.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near gangsta
Cite this Entry
“Gangsta.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangsta. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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