beastly 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbēst-lē How to pronounce beastly (audio)
Definition of beastlynext
as in brute
having or showing the nature and appetites of a lower animal left to shift for himself on an isolated farm, he gradually sank into a beastly, purposeless existence

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

beastly

2 of 2

adverb

as in extremely
to a great degree it's beastly hot today

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of beastly
Adjective
Three of this beastly bunch were checked off during our six spectacular hours in Tsavo. — David Dickstein, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026 An American Werewolf in London' (1981) American dudes backpacking in England get attacked by a werewolf, one of them becomes a beastly nuisance on the full moon, and things get bloody freaky in old London Town. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
Adverb
Logan is super skilled, beastly strong. — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 24 Feb. 2026 In this tale as old as time, local bookworm Belle (Paige O'Hara) travels to a faraway castle where her father is being held captive by a prince–turned–beastly creature. — James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beastly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beastly
  1. brute
  2. extremely
  3. brutal
  4. very
  5. feral
  6. terribly
  7. incredibly
  8. damn
Adjective
  • As rules and institutions constrain less and brute power matters more, countries will seek partners to help them blunt sanctions, access critical technologies, compensate for military weaknesses, expand their room for maneuver, and resist isolation.
    — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Security features include free SSL certificates, daily off-site backups, DDoS protection, malware scanning, a Web Application Firewall, brute-force protection, and two-factor authentication.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of brute
Adverb
  • Today, however, plague is curable and extremely unlikely to blow up into a new pandemic, experts say.
    — Faye Flam, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Nowhere was his balancing act viewed more extremely than with Ukraine.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of extremely
Adjective
  • In Samo’s warped reality, omnipresent hornets gain an evil power, forcing him to confront his mother in what could turn into a brutal showdown.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2026
  • At this point, both teams are just playing for bowl eligibility, with brutal November schedules awaiting each team.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of brutal
Adverb
  • For example, because of their own home-buying timeline, a seller may need to close very quickly or may need more time than usual.
    — Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
  • These songs are very evidently arranged, with ticklish, left-field grooves and tight pockets—never too tight for the persistent, puckish charm, the elbow-nudging glee.
    — Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of very
Adjective
  • The Houyhnhnms are to be contrasted with the barbaric Yahoos, humans reduced to our most feral, bestial, barbaric, and cruel state.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Tom Waits lends his feral baritone to a commander of a coyote military brigade.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of feral
Adverb
  • After a dance team audition goes terribly wrong, a group of girls at a Catholic high school start experiencing mysterious visions.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026
  • That’s not terribly surprising given the two teams have clashed multiple times over the past 25 years of Xbox.
    — Tom Warren, The Verge, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of terribly
Adverb
  • There's no doubt that Riley Green's acoustic performances are incredibly popular.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • These teachers work with students who have an incredibly diverse set of needs, including those with autism, learning disabilities such as dyslexia, developmental delays and physical disabilities.
    — Jonaki Mehta, NPR, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of incredibly
Adverb
  • Because the rent is so damn high, there was real money to be made.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The play broke the dam for an offense — and particularly a run game — that last year looked pretty damn broken.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of damn

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Cite this Entry

“Beastly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beastly. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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