beast

noun

ˈbēst 

1

a

: a four-footed mammal as distinguished from other animals

b

: an animal that is not a human being

c

: an animal as distinguished from a plant

d

: an animal under human control

2

: a contemptible person

3

: something formidably difficult to control or deal with

Synonyms of beast

• brute
• villain
• monster
• savage
• devil
• criminal

Examples of beast in a Sentence

dogs and other four-footed beasts

the birds and beasts of the forest

They were attacked by a savage beast.

He's a cruel, hateful beast!

Recent Examples on the Web

The family hides from the beast, which looks like a mix between a Cthulhu, an octopus and a big, beefy guy. — William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026

The result is a car that tames the Bolide beast with a more refined aesthetic throughout, yet without lacking any of its sibling’s muscle—sharing the Bolide’s 1,578 hp, quad-turbo W16 power plant. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2026

But on Monday one of the bigger beasts of Wall Street, Goldman Sachs Chief Economist Jan Hatzius, came out guns blazing at Warsh. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026

In September, the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup and Arts Festival brings in more than 20,000 spectators who line a hillside to watch riders corral the majestic beasts. — Jess Hoffert, Midwest Living, 5 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English beste, from Anglo-French, from Latin bestia

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing beast

• beast epic
• beast fable
• beast mode
• beast of burden
• different beast
• go beast mode
• the belly of the beast

Rhymes for beast

• ceased
• creased
• east
• feast
• fleeced
• geest
• greased
• leased
• least
• pieced
• priest
• yeast

Kids Definition

beast

noun

ˈbēst 

1

a

: a four-footed mammal as distinguished from human beings and from lower animals both with and without backbones

b

: a farm animal especially when kept for heavy work

2

: a mean or brutal person