as in creatures
one of the lower animals as distinguished from human beings
we saw a lot of animals at the wildlife refuge—cranes, alligators, deer, a fox, even an armadillo
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of animals
No one, not even animals, were allowed to cross on foot.
—
Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
James Ranch Grill James Ranch sits between Purgatory and Durango Hot Springs; while its meat and cheese are found at various restaurants and shops around town, nothing compares to dining right where the animals are raised and much of what's on your plate is made.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 10 Nov. 2025
But like the plants and animals facing new heat and drought challenges at the edge of a northward-shifting Sonoran Desert, sometimes things work in one configuration until conditions change just a little too much.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 10 Nov. 2025
While fleeing their home out of fear that the animals would tear down its fragile structure with the family of six inside, Citra unfortunately fell into the elephants’ path.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025
Dogs are naturally den animals who will gravitate toward a small, secure place to curl up in.
—Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Today, the close study of animals and plants is leading to inventions such as soft batteries and water-walking robots.
—Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
These additives are turning up everywhere, from air and water to soil, and are suspected endocrine disruptors that interfere with hormones in humans and animals.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025
Swinging from the overhanging branches and darting through the woods, the animals were heading toward a nearby housing project, their pink faces lit with glee.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
James Ranch Grill James Ranch sits between Purgatory and Durango Hot Springs; while its meat and cheese are found at various restaurants and shops around town, nothing compares to dining right where the animals are raised and much of what's on your plate is made.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 10 Nov. 2025
But like the plants and animals facing new heat and drought challenges at the edge of a northward-shifting Sonoran Desert, sometimes things work in one configuration until conditions change just a little too much.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 10 Nov. 2025
While fleeing their home out of fear that the animals would tear down its fragile structure with the family of six inside, Citra unfortunately fell into the elephants’ path.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025
Dogs are naturally den animals who will gravitate toward a small, secure place to curl up in.
—Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Today, the close study of animals and plants is leading to inventions such as soft batteries and water-walking robots.
—Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
These additives are turning up everywhere, from air and water to soil, and are suspected endocrine disruptors that interfere with hormones in humans and animals.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025
Swinging from the overhanging branches and darting through the woods, the animals were heading toward a nearby housing project, their pink faces lit with glee.
—Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for animals
Noun
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In the absence of whales, sucker fish avoid predators by seeking other large creatures to latch onto, including manta rays, dolphins and unlucky scuba divers.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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That means algae could grow in larger volumes, feeding more creatures and even possibly shifting how carbon moves through the ocean.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The difficult truth is that hurricanes are complex beasts, inherently difficult to boil down into a single number.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
29 Oct. 2025
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Why no mumblings of atonement for the predatory nature of capitalism itself, its core values and standard operating procedures no different from those of the beasts in the field?—
Henry Freedland,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Animals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/animals. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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