Thesaurus results for PLUG-UGLY

plug-ugly

noun

ˈpləg-ˌəg-lē

Definition of plug-ugly

as in thug

a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang sent over a couple of hulking plug-uglies to rough up the store owner

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plug-ugly

Noun

The residents occasionally gather in a disused rec center but the meetings devolve into rants about immigrants, junkies, thugs and vigilantism.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026
That a Christian man was responsible for the devastation in Oklahoma City certainly didn’t matter to the thugs who terrorized a Muslim woman there, nearly seven months pregnant, by attacking her home, breaking her windows, screaming religious slurs.

— Reshma Memon Yaqub, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of thug

Noun

The Financial Action Task Force, the global money-laundering watchdog, has warned that criminals exploit citizenship and residency programs to conceal their identities, launder illicit wealth and evade justice.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
The real risk is that a criminal could forge your signature on a deed or trick you into signing paperwork that transfers ownership, then file that document with the local office that maintains property records.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of criminal

Noun

But when a patient recognizes him from his dangerous past, Brown has eight hours to elude the government, mob hitmen, quack surgeons, and a trail of dead gangsters to somehow beat the reaper.

— Denise Petski, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
Somebody like Gilroy or Jeff Kober and Barry Corbin (popping up occasionally as a pair of geriatric gangsters) will come and go in situations knowingly designed to feel contrived.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of gangster

Noun

Jamal convened a press conference proclaiming to be able to communicate by phone with Somali pirates who were holding a Nigerian ship hostage.

— Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
Get it at 50 percent off and complete the set with matching bowls featuring the whole Peanuts gang in designs with bats and pumpkins, Snoopy’s doghouse, pirates, Schroeder’s piano, pumpkin patches, cute costumes, and more.

— Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of pirate

Noun

But instead the sisters wind up confronting assassins, demons with human familiars, and revelations about their late mother’s place within Le Clan des Sorcières.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Separately in the episode, River (Jack Lowden) and Sid (Olivia Cooke) are on the run from a pair of assassins, while the rest of the team circles the wagons en route to a safe house.

— Lisa de los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of assassin

Noun

His warning was meant for American eyes and ears at least as much — if not more so — than for the government in Jerusalem that until now has encouraged the hoodlums by tolerating their violence.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
Also in his orbit are a consortium of crooks, including his cousin Freddie, a hip junkie, and Pepper, a taciturn hoodlum who was friends with Ray’s dad, Big Mike, a legendary thief.

— Niela Orr, Vulture, 20 July 2026

Definition of hoodlum

Noun

Between Two Fires is a zippy historical monster story, where a bandit ex-knight and a young girl beset by visions have to contend with plague and inhuman monsters.

— James Folta, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
Snoopy and Woodstock line the outside of the bowl in costumes like cowboys, mummies, bandits, and witches.

— Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of bandit

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.

Browse Nearby Words

plug-uglies

plug-ugly

plug (up)

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“Plug-ugly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plug-ugly. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of plug-ugly

noun

Example Sentences

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