1
as in hulk
a big clumsy often slow-witted person
they looked like a tribe of Neanderthals compared to the bridegroom's patrician-looking family
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in barbarian
a man with crude manners and habits and outmoded attitudes
made the mistake of dining with some Neanderthal who repeatedly mistook his shirtsleeve for a napkin
Synonyms & Similar Words
variants
or Neandertal
as in rude
not civilized
her boyfriend's Neanderthal tastes and manners were often embarrassing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Neanderthal
Noun
-
But Lobo isn't some mindless arrogant hulk out to impose his indomitable will.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
6 June 2026 -
In its place rose the grandiose Palace of the Parliament—a neoclassical hulk that is the second-largest administrative building in the world, surpassed only by the Pentagon.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are barbarians with battle axes and swords, robots with laser guns, spaceships, a warlock with a skull for a face.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
-
While the original action figure might at first glance look like a classic cartoon barbarian, the character and his world are a wild blend of science fiction, fantasy, action-adventure, and even comedy.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
There is a profound difference between rude political commentary and language that normalizes violence against other human beings.—
Naperville Sun,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
-
In other words, leaving early isn't inherently rude.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Companies are increasingly offering lump-sum payments or hiring locally to reduce costs, relocation executives said.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
8 June 2026
-
Shelby Bennoit was diagnosed with breast cancer after discovering a lump in her breast.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The hotel is also pet-friendly, allowing two animals of any size free of charge.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
-
Made with the unctuous 8-percent-fat milk of the water buffalo—animals that may have arrived in the area via the Normans by way of Sicily, or perhaps by the Goths coming from Central Asia—buffalo mozzarella has been produced at least since the twelfth century.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
What begins as a desperate family bonding trip rapidly devolves into savage violence and brutal psychological warfare.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 June 2026
-
Their twiggy legs and bony frames exposed in bathing suits, the kids do indeed look extra vulnerable within the film’s savage landscape.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
As an abstract argument there is no necessary winner or loser between those two poles of belief.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Beware that many of the bars suggested by ChatGPT (crack open a guide book, loser) may have gone out of business or changed their names, as bars open and close all the time.—
Anton Hur,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Throughout the Backrooms, there are several cardboard cutouts of a mysterious caveman, wired to a communication device that broadcasts audio greetings in multiple languages.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
The findings add to a growing body of evidence that Neanderthals — our closest extinct human relatives — were cognitively and psychologically more similar to modern humans than previously thought, rather than the simple-minded, brutish cavemen of earlier stereotypes.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Neanderthal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Neanderthal. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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