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
Examples 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 Neanderthal
Ashley Strickland, CNN, 14 Sep. 2024
In 2015, archaeologists discovered the remains of a Neanderthal in a cave in southern France.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024
The Naked Neanderthal Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 11 Sep. 2024
Understanding that Neanderthal communities were potentially smaller and insular could be critical to understanding their extinction.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for Neanderthal 
Noun
That isolation put Neanderthals at an evolutionary disadvantage and could have led to their demise.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 14 Sep. 2024
In 2015, archaeologists discovered the remains of a Neanderthal in a cave in southern France.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024
The Naked Neanderthal Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 11 Sep. 2024
Understanding that Neanderthal communities were potentially smaller and insular could be critical to understanding their extinction.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for Neanderthal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Neanderthal
Noun
-
Kadyrov’s fighters were instrumental in the final assault on Donetsk Airport in January, having fought for months to capture the wrecked hulk of buildings that once made up the passenger terminals.Nicholas Waller, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2015
-
There were literal piles of dead and mangled Russians around the smoldering hulks.David Axe, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Faces painted white, surrounded by concubines of every gender, Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) are utterly taken with the barbarian who can recite Virgil while covered in another man’s blood, after Macrinus presents Lucius in a private showcase.Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
-
Let the front office barbarians swap one player for another.Tim Britton, The Athletic, 30 July 2024
Adjective
-
Was the waiter being rude or was the customer overreacting?Soo Kim, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
-
Dropping in on someone with no warning is inconsiderate, bordering on rude.Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 11 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
The result is a 120-horsepower power output coupled to a robust 69 pound-feet of torque, all from a lump weighing at just 120 pounds - a full 20 pounds less than the old 105 horsepower 955cc L-Twin in the current Super Sport and other models.William Roberson, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024
-
Gradually pour in half of the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming, then whisk in the remaining milk.Brianna Crane, Axios, 23 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Each elephant, life-sized and representative of a specific, individual animal, was created by a community of 200 indigenous artisans from the communities of India’s Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.Chadd Scott, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024
-
The family also welcomes schools and organizations that want to learn about animals and horseback riding.Tiffani Arnold, Chicago Tribune, 30 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2022
-
As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 27 Dec. 2022
Noun
-
Many of them see it as the government intervening in the free market to pick winners and losers—especially when the latter are fossil-fuel companies that donate heavily to the GOP.Chris Morris, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2024
-
The two previously undefeated teams will meet for the second time ever in the loser’s bracket on Tuesday.Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 26 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
The caveman bit allows the characters free rein to get extremely silly, and their disgust for Squidward’s clarinet-playing is immortal.Barry Levitt, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2024
-
Now it's known as the bulletproof diet, paleo, caveman, Atkins, or the ketogenic diet.Outside Online, Outside Online, 17 July 2024
Articles Related to Neanderthal
Thesaurus Entries Near Neanderthal
Cite this Entry
“Neanderthal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Neanderthal. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share