beast

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noun \ ˈbēst \

Definition of beast

1 a :a four-footed mammal as distinguished from a human being, a lower vertebrate, and an invertebrate

b :a lower animal as distinguished from 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

See beast defined for English-language learners

See beast defined for kids

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 of beast from the Web

Error loading player: No playable sources found Loading 00:00 / 07:11 2016 Defensive Highlights 48 Play As if Bynum weren’t enough, the Wildcats boast another beast on the defensive line.

— OregonLive.com, "For Wilsonville, a step back on offense, a step forward on defense: 2017 football preview," 27 Aug. 2017
Although the TV series has jumped ahead of the books, the back-from-the-dead beasts are mentioned in A Song of Ice and Fire, Vanity Fair points out.

— bernadette deron, Harper's BAZAAR, "Everything You Need to Know About Game of Thrones," 22 Aug. 2017
I was given two bonnets — a petite version for indoors and a wide-brimmed beast that inhibited peripheral vision in the same way blinders do on a horse.

— tracee m. herbaugh, The Seattle Times, "Grab your bonnet and musket: It’s a 19th-century getaway," 15 Aug. 2017
Called Quetzalcoatlus northrapi by paleontologists, this huge flying beast had a wingspan of about 50 feet—14 feet wider than four-seat Cessna 172.

— william gurstelle, Popular Mechanics, "'Game of Thrones' Science: Could a Person Ride a Dragon?," 15 Aug. 2017
Mobile payments are popular in China, though Alibaba Group's Alipay and Tencent's WeChat Pay are the big, local beasts there.

— david meyer, Fortune, "Why Apple’s iPhone Can’t Be Used to Pay for Beijing Transport," 15 Aug. 2017
Bronn very sensibly draws the line at fire-breathing winged beasts and basically peaces out on his boy.

— dave holmes, Esquire, "Westeros at the Watercooler: Okay, Okay, We'll Bend the Damn Knee," 14 Aug. 2017
Outside, on his back lawn, overlooking a lovely estuary, MacWilliams had placed silhouettes of wild beasts to deter Canada geese from landing.

— michael lewis, The Hive, "Why the Scariest Nuclear Threat May Be Coming from Inside the White House," 2 Aug. 2017
With so much to look at, from Rube Goldberg-like contraptions to a beast spewing fire and lots of gears and pendulums, the technical wizardry eventually became sensory overload.

— janelle gelfand, Cincinnati.com, "'The Magic Flute' a surreal visual extravaganza," 16 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of beast

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

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First Known Use: 13th century

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beast Synonyms

Synonyms

baddie (or baddy), villain, brute, caitiff, devil, evildoer, fiend, heavy, hound, knave, meanie (also meany), miscreant, monster, nazi, no-good, rapscallion, rascal, reprobate, rogue, savage, scalawag (or scallywag), scamp, scapegrace, scoundrel, varlet, wretch

Related Words

villainess; blackguard; criminal, crook, culprit, felon, lawbreaker, malefactor, offender, perp, perpetrator, transgressor; sinner, trespasser, wrongdoer; cad, heel, serpent, snake, viper; bandit, bravo, desperado, outlaw; con, convict, jailbird; assassin, cutthroat, gangster, goon, gunman, hoodlum, hooligan, racketeer, ruffian, thug; rough, rowdy, tough; loser, lowlife, ne'er-do-well, stinker, trash

Near Antonyms

angel, innocent, saint; hero

Other Zoology Terms

altruism, integument

BEAST Defined for English Language Learners

beast

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noun

Definition of beast for English Language Learners

: an animal; especially : a wild animal that is large, dangerous, or unusual
: an unkind or cruel person
: a person or thing of a particular kind

BEAST Defined for Kids

beast

play

noun \ ˈbēst \

Definition of beast for Students

1 :a mammal with four feet (as a bear or deer) especially as distinguished from human beings

beasts of the forest

2 :a wild animal that is large, dangerous, or unusual

3 :a farm animal especially when kept for work

beasts of burden

4 :a horrid person

Learn More about beast

See words that rhyme with beast Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for beast Spanish Central: Translation of beast Nglish: Translation of beast for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of beast for Arabic speakers

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Examples of beast in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of beast

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Synonyms

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Near Antonyms

Other Zoology Terms

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BEAST Defined for English Language Learners

beast

Definition of beast for English Language Learners

BEAST Defined for Kids

beast

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