hitmen
Paid professional assassins
Hitmen is the plural of hitman—a person hired to kill someone.
The term comes from organized crime but applies to any contract killer: The cartel sent hitmen after the informant.
In figurative use, a hitman does someone else's dirty work: political hitmen who smear opponents.
Paid murderer of targets
- killerOne who causes death
- gunmanArmed violent person
- sniperConcealed precision shooter
- hitwomanFemale contract killer
triggerman · shooter · executioner · marksman · sharpshooter · cleaner · liquidator · torpedo
Criminal organization using intimidation
- mobDisorderly, aggressive crowd
- cartelPrice-fixing coalition
- syndicateCombined group pursuing shared interest
- bossWorkplace superior
godfather · capo · underboss · don · family · outfit · gang · yakuza
Object of pursuit
- assignmentAllocated work or duty
- jobPaid position of employment
- contractEnforceable written agreement
- feePayment for service
payment · client · commission · elimination · mark · bounty · price · deal
Surprise strike from concealment
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- poisonHarmful ingested substance
- garroteStrangling implement
- silencerSound-dampening gun attachment
disposal · stalking · infiltration · disguise · cover · alias · untraceable · close-range
assassin
Paid murderer of targets
hitwoman · triggerman · shooter · executioner · marksman · sharpshooter · cleaner · liquidator · torpedo · mechanic
mafia
Criminal organization using intimidation
- mobDisorderly, aggressive crowd
- cartelPrice-fixing coalition
- syndicateCombined group pursuing shared interest
boss · godfather · capo · underboss · don · family · outfit · gang · yakuza · triad
target
Object of pursuit
- assignmentAllocated work or duty
- jobPaid position of employment
- contractEnforceable written agreement
fee · payment · client · commission · elimination · mark · bounty · price · deal · terms
ambush
Surprise strike from concealment
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- poisonHarmful ingested substance
- garroteStrangling implement
silencer · disposal · stalking · infiltration · disguise · cover · alias · untraceable · close-range · drive-by
- tough guystough guys, tough guy, thug, thugs, enforcer
- organized crimemafia, mob, the mob, syndicate, crime syndicate
- thugsthugs, goons, heavies, toughs, brutes
- narcotraffickingdrug trafficking, drug cartels, drug lord, drug lords, narcos
- criminal groupsgang, mafia, cartel, mob, syndicate
- TarantinoPulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs, Django Unchained, Inglourious Basterds
hitmenbodyguards
Personal protection agents
protectors · lifeguards · rescuers · saviors · security guards
hitmenlifesavers
Rescuers or ring candies
healers · paramedics · doctors · nurses · humanitarian workers
hitmenpolice officers
Sworn law enforcers
law enforcement · lawmen · detectives · FBI agents · marshals