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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gorilla
Wade joins as a bull who plays roarball for the Shadows, as does Kevin Love as a gorilla and A’ja Wilson as an alligator.
—
Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
An offer to design gorilla environments for the Bronx Zoo came to nothing.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 4 Feb. 2026
As Sundance became a global icon, part of its identity stemmed from wedging this gorilla of a festival into the birdcage of a tiny resort town.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
While our morning spent with the gorillas alone was nothing short of extraordinary, there is more to savor back at Bisate Reserve.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gorilla
Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
An offer to design gorilla environments for the Bronx Zoo came to nothing.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 4 Feb. 2026
As Sundance became a global icon, part of its identity stemmed from wedging this gorilla of a festival into the birdcage of a tiny resort town.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
While our morning spent with the gorillas alone was nothing short of extraordinary, there is more to savor back at Bisate Reserve.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gorilla
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gorilla
Noun
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The Democrats, though, have no problems releasing all these bloodthirsty thugs back into the neighborhood.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
4 Mar. 2026
-
In a season 3 teaser, Peter saves Suraj Sharma's Jay Batra from some thugs at a soccer stadium.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
With ‘live’ scenes from the ship’s top deck, Marvel villains had invaded the cruise and the screens showed our heroes in action, saving the day.—
Helen Wright,
TheWeek,
11 Mar. 2026
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On one level, the Nazis here are stereotypical adventure story villains, yet specific actual Nazi atrocities are discussed and the suffering of French citizens is deeply felt.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Police arrested one of four snowball bandits caught on camera clobbering the cops with snow.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
28 Feb. 2026
-
These proposals reflect hardening congressional sentiment toward Abuja at a moment when jihadist and bandit violence has impacted millions across the region.—
Adrian Elimian,
semafor.com,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Yes, this is a script that figured a big-budget gangster-monster epic could also manage to fit a screwball buddy comedy.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
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After a career defined by playing gangsters, an avenging taxi driver and a paranoid prize fighter, the Oscar-winning actor recited a call for civility, as first spoken by Abraham Lincoln.—
Hillel Italie,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Whatley said those policies threaten law enforcement officers and public safety, arguing that criminals belong behind bars and pledging to continue backing law enforcement.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 Mar. 2026
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The decisive action of the Mexican government is positive for families on both sides of the border who suffer the devastating consequences of the activities of these transnational criminals.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Soon, Cooper, Jordan and their reluctant new associates, Byron’s assassins Antonio (Anthony Ramos) and Jeremy (Jeremy Pope), find themselves in the crosshairs of a brewing war within the Forst family.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Minnesota just had two lawmakers and their spouses shot by a political assassin.—
Drake Bentley,
jsonline.com,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Once known for its pirate history, the town now serves as a base for rafting, kayaking, and zip-lining above the canyon.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
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The third, Thomas Jefferson, fought the Barbary pirates without a formal declaration.—
Adam Serwer,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The stalling momentum has come as the major market indexes haven’t moved beyond a small price range either, despite rotation under the hood .—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
8 Mar. 2026
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Cars line up at all hours, hoods serving as makeshift tables while drivers unwrap sandwiches still warm from the press.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gorilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gorilla. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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