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
-
The hulk has made it to the Seaport once — in September 2024 when it was towed to Pier 17 for a Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Week event.—
Lincoln Anderson,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026 -
But Lobo isn't some mindless arrogant hulk out to impose his indomitable will.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
6 June 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
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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
-
It’s widely considered rude and annoying when people cluster by the train doors if there are more people on the platform attempting to get on.—
Claudia Fisher,
Travel + Leisure,
15 June 2026
-
Many of these terms were meant as insults and were – and remain today – tremendously rude, but others reflect the bewilderment of trying to categorize people who don’t fit into standard categories easily.—
Ky Merkley,
The Conversation,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Far from lumps of rock, the trojans, along with DJ and Dinkinesh (which is the Ethiopian name for the Lucy fossil), are windows into the past, and the storytellers of the Earth's most ancient history.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
19 June 2026
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Rather than receiving a lump-sum loan upfront, borrowers can access a credit line as needed during the draw period (up to the credit limit).—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
An Irvine animal trainer and his girlfriend were convicted of killing 11 dogs in their care and cremating their bodies to conceal how the pets died.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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McCoy wasn’t sure what killed the animals, but said it was likely tied to the fire in the home.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
For my microgeneration, the disillusionment crept in with the savage failure of the Iraq War.—
Christopher Hooks,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
-
Set in the fictional lands of Westeros, House of the Dragon depicts a savage succession struggle within House Targaryen and a resulting civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
Many walk away losers while riding the gambling lightning.—
David Hookstead OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
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The loser of the WVU-Troy game will be eliminated from the College World Series.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Instead, Talarico’s campaign staff are widely circulating the turkey-leg image to send the message that their man is not merely a man, but a caveman.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2026
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Neanderthal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Neanderthal. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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