ape

\ ˈāp

How to pronounce ape (audio)

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Definition of ape

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : any of various large tailless semi-erect primates of Africa and southeastern Asia (such as the chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, or gibbon)

— called also anthropoid, anthropoid ape

— compare great ape

b : monkey especially : one of the larger tailless or short-tailed Old World forms —not used technically

2a : mimic

b : a large uncouth person

ape

aped; aping

Definition of ape (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

: to copy closely but often clumsily and ineptly

ape

Definition of ape (Entry 3 of 3)

: crazy, wild —usually used in the phrase go ape

Other Words from ape Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about ape

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Choose the Right Synonym for ape

Verb

copy, imitate, mimic, ape, mock mean to make something so that it resembles an existing thing. copy suggests duplicating an original as nearly as possible. copied the painting and sold the fake as an original imitate suggests following a model or a pattern but may allow for some variation. imitate a poet's style mimic implies a close copying (as of voice or mannerism) often for fun, ridicule, or lifelike imitation. pupils mimicking their teacher ape may suggest presumptuous, slavish, or inept imitating of a superior original. American fashion designers aped their European colleagues mock usually implies imitation with derision. mocking a vain man's pompous manner

Examples of ape in a Sentence

Noun Her boyfriend's some big ape she met at a party. Verb She apes the speech and manners of the rich. was caught aping the substitute teacher's thick accent

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun One Aussie-rules star, Adam Goodes, who complained when a 13-year-old called him an ape, was booed into early retirement. — The Economist, "Banyan Racism in Australia is not just a thing of the past," 20 June 2020 Chimp&See provides clips of chimpanzees in the wild to determine what the apes are up to. — James Dinneen/undark, Popular Science, "Science is finding ways to thrive during the pandemic, and you can help," 20 Apr. 2020 But while apes seem to nurse for longer than human babies, Neanderthals (our extinct cousins) may have weaned more like modern humans. — Elizabeth Preston, New York Times, "What’s a ‘Normal’ Amount of Time to Breastfeed?," 15 Apr. 2020 While the apes' improving conservation story has led to a boom in lodges, there's also tragedy lurking in the shadows: Few visitors return home aware of the human story connected to these remarkable creatures. — Sophy Roberts, Condé Nast Traveler, "These Lodges Are Going Above and Beyond to Give Back to Their Communities," 6 Apr. 2020 The apes are brought to the conservation forest if they are injured, at risk from hunters or facing destruction of their habitats. — Emma Reynolds, CNN, "This orangutan saw a man wading in snake-infested water and decided to offer a helping hand," 7 Feb. 2020 Koko and the other signing apes absolutely use language the same way people do. — Deborah Netburn, latimes.com, "What it's like to be interviewed for a job by Koko the gorilla: 'She had a lot to say'," 22 June 2018 More digital apes and human villains can be found in this Tarzan rethink, which casts Alexander Skarsgard as a version of that literary son of nature. — Gabe Cohn, New York Times, "What’s on TV Wednesday: ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ and Amy Hoggart," 26 Feb. 2020 An unanticipated problem was encountered, check back soon and try again Dozens of animals including monkeys, apes, and birds were burned to death at a German zoo after a devastating fire broke out in the Ape House on New Year’s Eve. — Georgia Slater, PEOPLE.com, "More Than 30 Animals Burned Alive in Tragic Germany Zoo Fire on New Year's Eve," 2 Jan. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Sumit Ghosh’s strategy seems to be to ape TikTok—literally. — Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz India, "The race to become India’s TikTok is on—and everyone’s struggling," 2 July 2020 On Thursday, however, those who tuned in to watch streams of operas, orchestral concerts and chamber music programs, from Berlin to Philadelphia, weren’t aping the live audience. — New York Times, "In a Pandemic, Musicians Play in Empty Halls for Audiences Online," 13 Mar. 2020 American media wield influence around the world and are widely aped: the New York Times boasts readers everywhere; websites such as BuzzFeed have inspired similar clickbait sites in dozens of countries. — The Economist, "Teenagers are rewriting the rules of the news," 18 Dec. 2019 Besides taking the branding of the Sony camera lineup, the Xperia 1 II tries to ape a few features and design touches from the Sony camera lineup. — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, "New Sony Xperia 1 II smartphone looks handsome, costs a ridiculous $1,300," 24 Feb. 2020 Company leaders aped his aggressive management style and sometimes even unconsciously mimicked his tendency to rock back and forth in meetings. — Dina Bass / Bloomberg, Time, "Bill Gates Announces Departure From Microsoft's Board, Capping Years of Radical Change," 14 Mar. 2020 The black-and-white images aped elaborate still life paintings, including their moral and religious symbolism—a shiny apple could represent Eve’s fall, for instance, or a fuzzy peach could suggest fertility. — Laura Mallonee, Wired, "The History of Food Photos—From Still Lifes to Brunch 'Grams," 29 Jan. 2020 A half-generation ago aspiring politicians aped the Kennedy style (Gary Hart with his hand in his suit-coat pocket like JFK, scores of liberals standing on windy beach bluffs with their blazers slung over their shoulders like RFK). — David M. Shribman, BostonGlobe.com, "Death of RFK’s granddaughter is latest burden for Kennedys," 3 Aug. 2019 An independent developer recently unearthed a feature hidden in Instagram’s code that apes TikTok’s editing tools. — The Economist, "TikTok’s silly clips raise some serious questions," 7 Nov. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective But now the world’s gorillas, and also their great-ape cousins, the chimpanzees, bonobos and orang-utans, face another threat from their human neighbours: covid-19. — The Economist, "The pandemic and wild animals Protecting great apes from covid-19," 16 May 2020 But a close analysis of the rounded head of the femur revealed that their hips were carrying weight differently and much more ape-like by hanging out in trees. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "Ancient humans are having a moment. Here are the fascinating new things we've learned this week about our ancestors," 2 Apr. 2020 Every hominin species in the fossil record has its own unique mix of familiar human traits and more ape-like ones, shaped by their environments and lifestyles. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Long after some hominins were bipedal, others stuck to the trees," 30 Mar. 2020 Walking upright on two legs is considered a human trait that separates us from our ape relatives, like chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "Ancient humans are having a moment. Here are the fascinating new things we've learned this week about our ancestors," 2 Apr. 2020 That species was an early member of our genus who walked upright and had a mixture of human and ape-like features. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Archaeologists put stone tools through modern engineering tests," 3 Feb. 2020 The fire started in a corner of the ape house’s roof in the first minutes of the new year and spread rapidly. — Washington Post, "3 women investigated for causing deadly blaze at German zoo," 2 Jan. 2020 Students primed with black faces detected ape images more quickly. — Douglas Starr, Science | AAAS, "Meet the psychologist exploring unconscious bias—and its tragic consequences for society," 26 Mar. 2020 Danuvius is undoubtedly a very important fossil, with lots to teach us about how varied ape locomotion can be. — Vivien Shaw, Quartz, "Scientists want to rewrite the evolution of walking—but should they?," 14 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ape.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

25 Jun 2020

Cite this Entry

“Ape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ape. Accessed 13 Jul. 2020.

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More Definitions for ape

ape

noun

English Language Learners Definition of ape

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a type of animal (such as a chimpanzee or gorilla) that is closely related to monkeys and humans and that is covered in hair and has no tail or a very short tail

informal : a large and stupid or rude person

ape

verb

English Language Learners Definition of ape (Entry 2 of 2)

often disapproving : to copy or imitate (something or someone)

See the full definition for ape in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ape

\ ˈāp

\

Kids Definition of ape

(Entry 1 of 2)

: any of a group of tailless animals (as gorillas or chimpanzees) that are primates most closely related to humans

ape

aped; aping

Kids Definition of ape (Entry 2 of 2)

: to imitate (someone) awkwardly He apes the styles of his favorite actor.

ape

\ ˈāp

\

Medical Definition of ape

1 : monkey especially : one of the larger tailless or short-tailed Old World forms

2 : any of the large tailless semierect primates of Africa and southeastern Asia (as the chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, or gibbon)

— called also anthropoid, anthropoid ape

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