1
as in shrew
a bad-tempered scolding woman
in fairy tales stepmothers are often portrayed as harpies who make the lives of their stepchildren miserable
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2
as in predator
a person who habitually preys upon others
having just started to make it really big in the music business, he found himself surrounded by a flock of harpies greedy for a piece of the action
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harpy
Like most eagles, the aviary says the female harpy is significantly larger than the male — sometimes twice the size.
—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
And because harpies rely on large emergent trees for nesting and an extensive, continuous canopy for hunting, even partial deforestation will severely disrupt their ability to breed and forage.
—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
In the right-wing imagination, these women are acting like harpies — an epithet often seen online — when they’re supposed to be helpmeets.
—
Michelle Goldberg,
Mercury News,
20 Jan. 2026
Think a front desk hewn from Dionysos marble and sconces in the shape of harpies.
—
Sam Cochran,
Architectural Digest,
11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harpy
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
And because harpies rely on large emergent trees for nesting and an extensive, continuous canopy for hunting, even partial deforestation will severely disrupt their ability to breed and forage.
—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
In the right-wing imagination, these women are acting like harpies — an epithet often seen online — when they’re supposed to be helpmeets.
—
Michelle Goldberg,
Mercury News,
20 Jan. 2026
Think a front desk hewn from Dionysos marble and sconces in the shape of harpies.
—
Sam Cochran,
Architectural Digest,
11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harpy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harpy
Noun
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These are important tools used for both feeding and building their dens and digging for other menu items such as mice, gophers, voles and shrews.
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See page 8 to order a shrew for $29, plus shipping and handling.
Noun
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With no natural predators and the ability to breed year-round, their populations have exploded over the decades.
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Give bird feeders protection from predators; planting shrubs and dense hedges gives them places to hide.
Noun
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In their respective grief, mommy issues, daughter issues, and, in the case of Armand and Daniel, daddy issues, our vampires are giving each other a run for their money over who is the most beautiful, most unwell.
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Taylor-Johnson starred as Friedrich Harding, a skeptic set in his belief that vampires don’t exist.
Noun
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Ratio Relievers *Multi-inning or bridge relievers who can vulture wins and help protect ratios.
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An unusual number of vultures have been seen flying over what’s left of La Guaira in recent days.
Cite this Entry
“Harpy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harpy. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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