gang members
Organized crime participants
Gang members are people who belong to a gang—typically a group organized around criminal activity, territorial control, or shared identity.
The term appears frequently in news coverage and law enforcement contexts: Police arrested several gang members in connection with the shooting.
It can also describe members of less serious groups: The whole gang's here.
Illegal surface markings
- taggingAttaching identifying markers
- hand signsCommunicative finger positions
- colorsVisual spectrum variations
- bandanasLarge patterned kerchiefs
territory · block · hood · barrio · turf · corners · projects · lowriders
Loyalty owed to authority
- oathFormal binding promise
- code of silenceTacit agreement against disclosure
- omertàCriminal vow of silence
- initiationFormal admission ceremony
colors · tattoos · representing · repping · standing tall · no snitching · pledging · trusted
Working team aboard
- cliqueExclusive social group
- posseArmed group pursuing fugitives
- homeboysFriends from one's neighborhood
- setArrange in position
familia · blood brothers · ride-or-die · inner circle · tight-knit · pack · squad · comrades
Selling illegal substances
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
- robberyTheft through intimidation
- carjackingViolent vehicle theft
- burglaryIllegal entry to commit crime
racketeering · felons · convicts · warrants · arrests · indictments · RICO · mugshots
Expressing intent to harm
- menacingConveying threat or danger
- mean-muggingHostile staring as intimidation
- flexingContracting muscles voluntarily
- muscleContractile body tissue
enforcers · goons · henchmen · strongarm · extortion · protection racket · shakedown · retaliation
graffiti
Illegal surface markings
- taggingAttaching identifying markers
- hand signsCommunicative finger positions
- colorsVisual spectrum variations
bandanas · territory · block · hood · barrio · turf · corners · projects · lowriders · street code
allegiance
Loyalty owed to authority
- oathFormal binding promise
- code of silenceTacit agreement against disclosure
- omertàCriminal vow of silence
initiation · colors · tattoos · representing · repping · standing tall · no snitching · pledging · trusted · sworn
crew
Working team aboard
- cliqueExclusive social group
- posseArmed group pursuing fugitives
- homeboysFriends from one's neighborhood
set · familia · blood brothers · ride-or-die · inner circle · tight-knit · pack · squad · comrades · brothers
drug dealing
Selling illegal substances
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
- robberyTheft through intimidation
- carjackingViolent vehicle theft
burglary · racketeering · felons · convicts · warrants · arrests · indictments · RICO · mugshots · rap sheet
threatening
Expressing intent to harm
- menacingConveying threat or danger
- mean-muggingHostile staring as intimidation
- flexingContracting muscles voluntarily
muscle · enforcers · goons · henchmen · strongarm · extortion · protection racket · shakedown · retaliation · payback
shootings
Discharges of firearms
- stabbingsAttacks with blades
- drive-bysShootings from moving vehicles
- turf warsStruggles for domain control
hits · beatings · assaults · homicides · casualties · bloodshed · vendettas · feuds · beef · clashing
- thugsthugs, goons, heavies, toughs, brutes
- bad influenceswrong crowd, peer pressure, bad habits, enablers, manipulators
- prisonersprisoners, inmates, convicts, felons, jailbirds
- Vulnerable Groupshomeless youth, orphans, refugees, disabled people, elderly poor
- social tiesfriends, pals, buddies, mates, companions
gang memberslone wolves
Solitary, self-reliant individuals
loners · independents · isolates · hermits · recluses
gang memberspolice officers
Sworn law enforcers
cops · law enforcement · federal agents · prosecutors · judges
gang memberspillars of the community
Respected, influential local figures
civic leaders · community leaders · volunteers · philanthropists · do-gooders
gang, members, gangster, ganging, gangsters, ganged, gangland, ganger, gang member