What does "bandit" mean?
One who robs others in a lawless area, especially as part of a group.
Bandit
/ˈbændɪt/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who robs others in a lawless area, especially as part of a group.
- Grammar: bandit is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: brigand, air armada, air force, badman.
- Useful contrasts: deterministic decision problem, law-abiding citizen, lawful citizen.
- Usage evidence: In an attempt to escape, the bandit took the lives of four hostages.
How to use "bandit"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "bandit" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "bandit" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "bandit" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "bandit" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "bandit" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "brigand" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "bandit", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who robs others in a lawless area, especially as part of a group.
"Do you recollect a story my nurse told us of a Sicilian bandit, the terror of the country?—how he saved a young child from a cottage on fire, brought it up delicately, and far removed from his own pursuits; while, at his execution, his chief regret was the future provision for that boy?"
- 2 an armed thief who is (usually) a member of a band wordnet
- 3 An outlaw.
- 4 One who cheats others.
- 5 An aircraft identified as an enemy, but distinct from "hostile" or "threat" in that it is not immediately to be engaged.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A runner who covertly joins a race without having registered as a participant. slang
- 7 Synonym of arse bandit. UK, dated, derogatory, slang
Verb
- 1 To rob, or steal from, in the manner of a bandit. ambitransitive
"First, she read the bandit news in the paper, and was rather disappointed to learn that her man had evidently taken a night off from banditing. An imitator of the bandit had made an unsuccessful attempt to hold up a drug-store, and had backed out and run when the nervy proprietor reached for a gun; but that was all."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
deterministic decision problemlaw-abiding citizenlawful citizennon gambling device
Example
"In an attempt to escape, the bandit took the lives of four hostages."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "bandit"?
Common synonyms include: brigand, air armada, air force, badman, bandit algorithm, bandit problem.
How do you use "bandit" in a sentence?
In an attempt to escape, the bandit took the lives of four hostages.
How do you pronounce "bandit"?
Pronounced /ˈbændɪt/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian bandito (“outlawed”), a derivative of Italian bandire (“to ban”), from Late Latin bandīre, an alteration (due to Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bandwjan, “to signal”)) of Late Latin bannīre (“to ban”), from Frankish *bannan (“to ban”). Doublet of bandito.