beast

noun

\ ˈbēst

Definition of beast

1a : 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

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about beast

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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

In an effort to capture its scale, four researchers hold the brawny beast up for the camera: Snakes thrive in the humid swamplands south of Miami, with 100,000 pythons alone crawling throughout the the 729,000-acre park, according to CNN. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Researchers Capture the Biggest Snake Ever Found in the Florida Everglades," 8 Apr. 2019 But actually opening up these dialogues around money, privilege, success, and class is as complex as the threads weaving those four beasts together. — Jen Doll, Harper's BAZAAR, "Why Does It Feel Like Everyone Has More Money Than You?," 12 Feb. 2019 In the lane Snow is glistenin’ A beautiful beastAll orange and hairy Gritty is my supervisor now. — Todd Vanderwerff, Vox, "Gritty’s evolution from googly-eyed hockey mascot to meme to leftist avatar, explained," 24 Dec. 2018 Obviously Katrina was a very unique beast in terms of how George W. Bush got blamed for that. — Fox News, "Officials warn a September 11-style attack still possible," 12 Sep. 2018 While there, explore the exhibit that resembles an underwater environment of kelp towers, coral reefs, a bioluminescent tunnel and a large sea beast. — Sonja Haller, azcentral, "Best kids things to do in Phoenix in July: Splash pad parties, shark feeds and free fun," 28 June 2018 Half a century after its creation, prog — as it’s also called — is still a singular musical beast that draws from classical music nearly as much as rock and generally eschews even a hint of the blues. — George Varga, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Yes, meet Yes! A year after Rock Hall of Fame induction, two bands embark on Yes 50th anniversary tours," 23 June 2018 But a stock sale leaves the opaque company more exposed to outside forces, a compromising position for a political beast with a powerful hand over prices at the pump. — Stanley Reed, New York Times, "An Oil Giant Is Taking Big Steps. Saudi Arabia Can’t Afford for It to Slip.," 16 June 2018 According to reports, this beast will be capable of delivering 70 tons to low Earth orbit and will serve as the foundation for a deep-space exploration program. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "Rocket Report: SpaceX gets top clearance, Europe job cuts, Russian plans," 16 Nov. 2018

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.