Synonyms of ruffian
100 similar words
Another word for ruffian is mischief-maker. Other synonyms of ruffian are instigator, agitator, bully, scamp and lout.
Synonyms and similar words for ruffian
nounA scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.
- rogue
- scampA rascal, swindler, or rogue; a ne'er-do-well.
- agitatorOne who agitates; one who stirs up or excites others, for example political reformers.
- bad boy
- bad news
- bear
- beggarA mean or wretched person; a scoundrel.
- bhoy
- blackguard
- booger
- boot boy
- bovver boyA hooligan who creates bother (trouble), specifically a member of a skinhead gang.
- brat
- brawler
- buffoon
- bugger
- bullyA sex worker's minder.
- charva dialectal
- cutup
- devil
- elf
- enfant terrible
- firebrand
- gadfly
- hell-raiser
- hood
- hoodlumA rough or violent youth.
- hool slang
- hoolie slang
- hooliganA young person who causes trouble or violence, typically as a member of a gang or other group.
- hothead
- imp
- inciterOne who incites.
- initiator
- instigatorA person who intentionally instigates, incites, or starts something, especially one that creates trouble.
- joker
- jokester
- knave
- loutA troublemaker, often violent; a rude violent person; a yob.
- makebate
- minx
- mischiefA cause or agent of annoyance, harm or injury, especially a person who causes mischief.
- mischief-makerA person who makes mischief.
- miscreant
- ne'er-do-well
- pixie
- pot stirrerOne who causes unrest; one who stirs the pot.
- practical jokerSomeone who instigates practical jokes; a prankster.
- pranksterOne who performs pranks.
- puck
- punkA petty criminal, especially a juvenile delinquent.
- rabble rouserSomeone or something that tends to inspire mobs; something controversial or provocative.
- rapscallionA rascal, scamp, rogue, or scoundrel.
- rascal
- rowdy
- scapegraceA wild and reckless person (especially a boy); a scoundrel.
- scoundrelA mean, worthless fellow; a rascal; a villain; a person without honor or virtue.
- shit disturber
- shitmongerA person who peddles worthless, overblown, or harmful ideas or gossip.
- shit-stirrerOne who enjoys creating trouble for others by provoking controversy, for example by revealing facts that others would...
- tearawayAn impetuous and reckless person who is difficult to control; a hothead.
- thug
- toughA person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully.
- troublemaker
- undesirableAn undesirable person.
- vandal
- wag
- wrangler
- yob UK
- yobbo UKA yob.
- breedbate obsoleteSomeone who causes quarrels; a quarreler.
- jackanapes dated(A proper name for) a person thought to behave like an ape or monkey, for example, in being impudent, mischievous...
- kindle-coal obsoleteA troublemaker.
- kindle-fire obsoleteSomething, such as a person or event, that initiates events or incites a response.
- rakeshame obsoleteAn objectionable person.
- rantipole obsoleteA rude, unruly young person.
- roly-poly obsoleteA mischievous or worthless person; a scoundrel, a rascal.
- titivil obsoleteA mischievous gossip or a troublemaker.
- wagpastie obsoleteA rogue; a rascal; a scoundrel.
nounA pimp; a pander.
- dalaal India
- hustler
- mack slang
- mack daddy US, slang
- nookie-bookie slangA pimp or madam.
- pimp
- souteneurA man who protects, and commonly compels, a prostitute of any gender and lives off the earnings; a pimp. Originally a...
- whoreman informal
- whoremaster
- abbot UK, archaic
- bludger Australia, obsoleteA pimp, a man living off the earnings of a harlot.
- cock-bawd obsoleteA man who runs a brothel; a pimp.
- fishmonger archaic
- flashman obsolete
- fleshmonger archaic
- hoon Australia, dated
- mackerel obsolete
- muttonmonger obsolete
- pandar obsoleteA person who furthers the illicit love affairs of others; a pimp or procurer, especially when male.
- pussymonger rare, slangA pimp who pimps women.
- sweetman datedA male pimp.
Meaning of ruffian
- noun A scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.
- noun A pimp; a pander.
- noun A lover; a paramour.
ruffian in other languages
Questions about synonyms of ruffian
- What is another word for ruffian?
- Ruffian has 100 synonyms on Word.ws, such as mischief-maker, instigator, agitator, bully, scamp, lout, hoodlum and tough.
- What does ruffian mean?
- Ruffian means a scoundrel, rascal, or unprincipled, deceitful, brutal and unreliable person.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: ruffian (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Cite this page: “Synonyms of ruffian.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/ruffian. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.