Ruffian

Pronunciation: /ˈɹʌffɪən/

Ruffian (noun)

  1. A person who is violent or aggressive, often involved in crime.
  2. Someone who causes trouble or problems, often by being rough or rude.
  3. A historical term for a thug or criminal, often used in old stories.

Examples

  • The ruffian threatened everyone in the alley.
  • A ruffian attacked the travelers on the road.

Common collocations: violent ruffian, deal with a ruffian, young ruffian, ruffian behavior, medieval ruffian

Synonyms of Ruffian

Neutral

Informal

Antonyms of Ruffian

  • — referring to a well-mannered person
  • — referring to a virtuous person