1
as in losers
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 barbarians
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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Neanderthals
Noun
-
This is a twisted travelogue of sorts, each chapter devoted to a circle of hell populated by one group of sports gambling’s myriad losers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026 -
Ravu were the losers, with Jessica being the biggest loser of all.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And if any of you barbarians out there slather ranch dressing on your wings, there’s a special place in hell just for you.—
Bill Reinhard,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
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We were inspired by their outrageous VHS cover art that promised epic tales of heroic barbarians rescuing buxom babes from giant monsters.—
Bear McCreary,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Typically, their damage is mostly limited to the bumps and lumps created by their tunneling activity.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The buildings had suffered many injuries inside and out, lumps and bumps everywhere.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Many wonders made the list, including royal burial grounds in Egypt, an Indonesian archipelago of 1,500 islands and Turkish cliffs formerly inhabited by Bronze Age troglodytes (cave dwellers).—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In some animals, a nictitating membrane serves as a third eyelid, used to help keep the eye clean and moist.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
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What's more, the space is now open from dawn to dusk rather than 24/7, and all animals must be kept on a leash.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His strict and meticulous methodologies taught some of the smartest people on the planet how to behave like complete idiots, paving the way for a new generation of red-nosed fools to pratfall onto the stage.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Franchises are lost because of proud idiots.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Dilbert principle — traced back to a quote in a 1995 strip — posited that managers and higher-ups are actually successful morons whose stubbornness is confused for real leadership qualities.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
13 Jan. 2026
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Overwhelmingly, though, the most common response was to seek confirmation of their suspicions that Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were morons.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Some mammal species are highly susceptible to HPAI, including domestic cats, skunks, foxes, raccoons, bobcats, mountain lions and black bears.—
Faith Bugenhagen,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Feb. 2026
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The residents safely trapped the skunk and took it to a wildlife rescue center.—
Frederick Sutton Sinclair,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Neanderthals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Neanderthals. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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