1
as in brutes
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
she's a real beast to anyone who makes the mistake of crossing her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bastards
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
he always has to act like a beast whenever things don't go his way
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in animals
one of the lower animals as distinguished from human beings
a frigid night that was fit for neither man nor beast
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in headaches
a dull, unpleasant, or difficult piece of work
controlling the state's vast bureaucracy has always been a beast
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of beasts
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams This is an extraordinary book by a woman who served as a government-relations executive at Facebook, working directly under Sheryl Sandberg, Joel Kaplan, and Mark Zuckerberg—the company’s three big beasts.
—
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026
The beasts were, ostensibly, running a menacing communications conglomerate in a satellite tower looking over the main field of Coachella, but now they were spooked.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
There are people who find dogs gross — the health risk posed by dogs in restaurants is low but not zero — and people whose grievance isn’t with the dogs per se but with the owners who willfully ignore the ways their furry beasts impose upon the world.
—Rachel Sugar, Curbed, 8 Apr. 2026
Expect to encounter other magical creatures and fantastic beasts along the way.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
The zoo christened the beasts Gaston and Kathrin in the Glocks’ honor.
—Simon Akam, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
The tale spun down that the manger star cloud was where the beasts were feeding.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
Costumed beasts and creepy crawlies aren’t limited to Halloween.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
Its contaminated followers were one step removed from the beasts of the field.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026
The beasts were, ostensibly, running a menacing communications conglomerate in a satellite tower looking over the main field of Coachella, but now they were spooked.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
There are people who find dogs gross — the health risk posed by dogs in restaurants is low but not zero — and people whose grievance isn’t with the dogs per se but with the owners who willfully ignore the ways their furry beasts impose upon the world.
—Rachel Sugar, Curbed, 8 Apr. 2026
Expect to encounter other magical creatures and fantastic beasts along the way.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
The zoo christened the beasts Gaston and Kathrin in the Glocks’ honor.
—Simon Akam, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
The tale spun down that the manger star cloud was where the beasts were feeding.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
Costumed beasts and creepy crawlies aren’t limited to Halloween.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
Its contaminated followers were one step removed from the beasts of the field.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beasts
Noun
-
That’s happened in several Mid Atlantic rivers, but in the absence of larger brutes like blues and flathead, channels will thrive and can break the 15-pound mark.—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In Raspail’s tale, hordes of impoverished and dark-skinned brutes from India descend onto French shores by way of rafts, the first wave of an invasion of the civilized West by the brown-skinned developing world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Another provision allows pharmacists to provide ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug often prescribed for animals, over-the-counter for adults without a prescription.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Mosaic tiles will be added to the animals depicted in and along the river, according to the proposal.—
Jennifer Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The real story behind one of Texas’ biggest wildlife headaches starts with a decision the state made on purpose.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Some journalists draw a line between the government's mounting headaches and its escalating attacks on the messengers of that news.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One person in Atlanta has appeared in his videos as Batman villains, for free, dressed in homemade costumes that look like they were ripped straight from the television or movies.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Her character joined several others who faced the wrath of Homelander and other villains.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In recent years, Ed Sheeran slipped behind the counter, gamely slinging dogs and taking his fair share of abuse from the staff.—
Jimmy Jellinek,
SPIN,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The state law relies on federal oversight, but even those who meet USDA standards can breed dogs in conditions that would shock most of us.—
Annie Hornish,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Carter offers a few pointers on seeing these majestic creatures on land.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Men, society tells us ad nauseam, are simple creatures.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When people are priced out of their neighborhoods, they are pushed farther away from their jobs, schools and support systems.—
Ryan von Weller,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Players are also connected with jobs via the team’s union.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The backstory flashbacks about an abusive father that suggest not all monsters have fangs?—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Peasants whisper about monsters in the forest, and in the interlude between the wars, Lajos gazes at a house that is burning down and has a premonition of the world-historical destruction to come.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beasts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beasts. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
