"The mob" is a commonly used term in the media to describe a group of individuals who engage in illegal and violent activities. However, there are many other synonyms for this term that can be used to describe these groups. These include "gangs," "criminal organizations," "organized crime syndicates," "mafias," "cartels," "criminal networks," and "crime families." Each of these synonyms has a slightly different connotation and may be more appropriate in certain contexts. For example, "mafia" or "crime family" may be used when referring to Italian or Sicilian crime syndicates, while "gangs" may be more appropriate when discussing street-level criminal organizations.