noun

hooligan

HOO-lih-guhn

noun

A violent or destructive troublemaker, especially one acting as part of a rowdy group.

"Football hooligans clashed with police outside the stadium."

How to Use Hooligan

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA rowdy, destructive troublemaker, often used for violent sports fans or rioters.

Common pairings

football hooligan gang of hooligans

hooliganed past tense, hooligan plural, hooligans plural, hooligans singular

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Can you complete this real example?

Football _____ clashed with police outside the stadium.

Probably derived from the Irish surname Houlihan, first used this way in 1890s London.

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