1
as in addiction
a physiological need for certain drugs
I've got this monkey on my back, and going to detox is the only way to get it off
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in devil
an appealingly mischievous person
come back here, you little monkey!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of monkey
Ed Silverman, STAT, 20 Apr. 2026
The hashtag #HangInTherePunch also circulated on social media to show support for the baby monkey.
—Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Valerie Demicheva and Flora Chang, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 July 2021
But this experiment isn't about monkeying around—this a real security and safety hazard, the researchers point out in a new paper.
—Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 31 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for monkey
Noun
But the case also appears to highlight a lack of guidelines for assessing the health of monkeys before they are shipped for medical research.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 20 Apr. 2026
The hashtag #HangInTherePunch also circulated on social media to show support for the baby monkey.
—Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
With supply running low toward the end of most evenings, savvy bun fanatics don’t monkey around, routinely calling ahead to request an extra skillet of rolls set aside just for them.
—Valerie Demicheva and Flora Chang, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 July 2021
But this experiment isn't about monkeying around—this a real security and safety hazard, the researchers point out in a new paper.
—Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 31 Jan. 2020
See All Example Sentences for monkey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkey
Noun
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While there has been no substantive research into the effect of prediction markets on sports gambling addiction, the experiences of the coach and the accountant are not uncommon for treatment experts.—
Jay Cohen,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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Indonesia began implementing a new government regulation at the end of March banning children younger than 16 from accessing digital platforms that could expose them to addiction, pornography, online scams and cyberbullying.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While the movie has some fun asking whether people actually want to know everything about their partners (a devil’s bargain since time immemorial), its real interest lies in how that knowledge is colored by who shares it.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
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Its theme — that the rich are different, and in not-good ways — meant she’d be forced into a ritualistic game of hide-and-seek, running for her life from her devil-worshipping, masters-of-the-world in-laws.—
Michael Ordoña,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There’s a word for this type of storytelling, and Taccone deserves credit for delivering a superior version of this without outright aping its most famous practitioner.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
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But the series’ genre switch is just a theatrical exercise, like Euphoria is putting on another play, this one against a Harmony Korine– and Quentin Tarantino–aping backdrop.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Trump’s first term was marked—and, in the view of those closest to him, limited—by its dependence on Administration officials who were, at best, skeptical of his aims.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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High oil prices strengthen the case for renewable energy and reduce dependence on volatile supply routes.—
Fabiano Maisonnave,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Right now, the rascal in him slumbers, briefly glimpsed now and again behind dark shades.—
Emma Madden,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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Of all the former rascals, Symoné has enjoyed the longest and most successful career in entertainment.—
Andrew Walsh,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Influencer comedians like Madison Humphrey and Mitsy Sanderson have built large platforms parodying awkward moments.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
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Heidecker — the mind behind projects including The Tim and Eric Show and On Cinema — has been parodying Jones for years.—
Rolling Stone,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Many ethicists focus on preventing worst-case AI scenarios, such as rogue models and mass unemployment, while ignoring deeper questions about how the technology might degrade our humanity or undermine our sense of purpose.—
Elias Wachtel,
The Atlantic,
25 Apr. 2026
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One of the main sticking points during the intense talks between Tehran and Washington centers on Iran’s claim that the rogue regime has a right to enrich and possess weapons-grade uranium, the material required to build an atomic bomb.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If Nick was holding one of them and looking concerned, the baby would mimic his expression.—
Amanda Champagne-Meadows,
Deadline,
25 Apr. 2026
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Researchers must not only mimic what evolution has managed to produce but also copy nature’s methods and use renewable supplies to build the materials of tomorrow.—
Caitlin Kennedy,
Scientific American,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Monkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkey. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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