bullyboys
Enforcers for hire
Bullyboys are thugs or enforcers, especially those hired to intimidate or rough up opponents.
The term suggests organized muscle—men who do dirty work for someone with power or money: The politician sent his bullyboys to break up the protest.
It carries a faintly old-fashioned, theatrical quality.
Loyal subordinates to wrongdoers
- heaviesMenacing tough guys
- muscleContractile body tissue
- goonsHired intimidators
- strongmenAuthoritarian rulers or muscular performers
thugs · bruisers · toughs · hired guns · leg-breakers · bouncers · strongarm · roughnecks
Intimidate through pressure
- menaceSource of potential harm
- coerceObtain by intimidation
- terrorizeFrighten into submission
- threatenPromise harm or punishment
cow · bluster · swagger · strong-arm · harass · pressure · frighten · bludgeon
Hostile and eager to clash
- hostileAggressively unfriendly
- confrontationalInclined toward hostile encounters
- pugnaciousInclined to quarrel
- combativeInclined toward conflict
truculent · bellicose · antagonistic · violent · fierce · brutal · ruthless · vicious
henchmen
Loyal subordinates to wrongdoers
strongmen · thugs · bruisers · toughs · hired guns · leg-breakers · bouncers · strongarm · roughnecks · hooligans
browbeat
Intimidate through pressure
threaten · cow · bluster · swagger · strong-arm · harass · pressure · frighten · bludgeon · hound
belligerent
Hostile and eager to clash
- hostileAggressively unfriendly
- confrontationalInclined toward hostile encounters
- pugnaciousInclined to quarrel
combative · truculent · bellicose · antagonistic · violent · fierce · brutal · ruthless · vicious · savage
bullyboysdiplomats
Foreign government representatives
negotiators · peacemakers · mediators · conciliators · arbitrators
bullyboysprotectors
Those who guard others
guardians · defenders · peacekeepers · peacemakers · gentlemen