hoodlum

/ˈhʊdləm/

/ˈhʊdləm/

Other forms: hoodlums

Hoodlums are young people who are involved in crime or generally up to no good. A car full of hoodlums might drive down the street and smash mailboxes with a baseball bat. Hoodlums are into mean stuff like that.

If you've ever seen a group of young people who look like trouble, you may have seen a group of hoodlums. Hoodlums are loud, aggressive, and violent. Hoodlums are part of gangs and commit crimes. If a young person robs a store or mugs someone, he’s a hoodlum. The word hoodlum has nothing to do with the hood on a sweatshirt. A hoodlum can also be called a gangster, thug, or toughie. Steer clear!

Definitions of hoodlum

1. noun

   an aggressive and violent young criminal
   synonyms: goon, hood, punk, strong-armer, thug, tough, toughie

   types:

   bully

   a hired thug

   type of:

   criminal, crook, felon, malefactor, outlaw

   someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime