beast

noun

Synonyms of beastnext
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Anyway, Melling says, the movie Pillion is its own beast. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2026 Our team of a half dozen volunteers worked for a little over an hour, amazed at the size of these starchy beasts in the earthy soil. Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026 Contestants Cirie Fields, Season 42 challenge beast Jonathan Young, and Season 48 favorite Joe Hunter are trailing far behind Bracco in both markets. Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026 And at that point, ushered into the floating mists of non-consensus with murmurings of political unease regarding content or intellectual befuddlement regarding style, the briefly sighted, singular beast of language vanishes from the visible landscape. Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beast

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of beast was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beast. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

beast

noun
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

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