as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the loan shark sent a couple of gorillas to "convince" him to pay up
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gorilla
The story, however, doesn’t prevent gorillas from being the first animal Smart visits when going to a zoo.
—
Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
Before the three scientists’ work, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans were largely abstract animals to most people – zoo exhibits, textbook illustrations, evolutionary symbols.
—Mireya Mayor, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026
Globally, the mountain gorilla population is estimated at 1,063 living in the wild, with some 350 gorillas recorded in Virunga in 2021, according to park authorities.
—CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Subject matter includes: girls with gorilla grip, girls so curvy they’re built like pears and oak tree trunks, being unemployed, poor sauna practices, and a sketch where a dad chastises them for wasting away the day.
—Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gorilla
Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
Before the three scientists’ work, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans were largely abstract animals to most people – zoo exhibits, textbook illustrations, evolutionary symbols.
—Mireya Mayor, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026
Globally, the mountain gorilla population is estimated at 1,063 living in the wild, with some 350 gorillas recorded in Virunga in 2021, according to park authorities.
—CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Subject matter includes: girls with gorilla grip, girls so curvy they’re built like pears and oak tree trunks, being unemployed, poor sauna practices, and a sketch where a dad chastises them for wasting away the day.
—Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gorilla
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gorilla
Noun
-
The thugs would insinuate themselves into the confidence of wayfarers and, when a favorable opportunity presented itself, strangle them by throwing a handkerchief or noose around their necks.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
-
No government masked thugs shooting down our neighbors in the streets.—
Diego Parrado,
Vanity Fair,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Design There’s a reason James Bond villains chase 007’s Aston Martin in fleets of black Defenders.—
John Scott Lewinski,
Robb Report,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Wagner had only occasional presence and went MIA for awhile, coming across as a shady character and a possible villain who was set up as a potential love interest for Morgan early on.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Set against mountainous landscapes and rural lakes, the story follows a wandering swordsman who is falsely accused of stealing a shipment of gold and must unravel a web of intrigue involving bandits, palace guards and corrupt officials while attempting to clear his name.—
Lin Ying-Hsuan,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Alongside attacks by bandits, Nigeria is also plagued by an insurgency fought by the Boko Haram extremist group and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The child was speaking like a baby gangster, yet earnestly.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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They get captured by Hungarian gangsters and have to fight (and kill) their way out of an inn run by a shady former dance prodigy (Uma Thurman).—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Göring, played by Russell Crowe, is the troubling centerpiece of James Vanderbilt’s ambitious film devoted to the trial of the major Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg in 1945–1946.—
Alice Kaplan,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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Also included is a 13% increase in funding for the Department of Justice to focus on violent criminals and a $481 million increase in funding to enhance aviation safety and support an air traffic controller hiring surge.—
LISA MASCARO,
Arkansas Online,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the latest episode that aired on Sunday, Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) and his team were hot on the heels of Vaggan (Franka Potente), but the assassin was always one step ahead.—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2026
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Lillian Cross, a doctor’s wife, ended up standing near the would-be assassin.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The alternately gloomy and euphoric pop songs cut and paste snippets of UK pirate radio culture and New York’s Paradise Garage.—
Aimee Cliff,
Pitchfork,
3 Apr. 2026
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While women pirates weren’t exactly a dime a dozen even during the height of piracy, there were a surprising number of fearless females who plied the seven seas.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
During the traffic stop, a deputy noticed white residue on the hood of Werts’ car and ran it through a colorimetric test.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
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This convertible introduces a new Monogram Series design featuring the Maybach logo on the hood, front end, and throughout the cabin.—
Tony Leopardo,
Mercury News,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gorilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gorilla. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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