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
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Recent Examples of animals
Walker Farm While no injuries were reported, the owners of the barn say all but one of the animals that had been in the barn during the fire died, including two Great Pyrenees and one corgi.
—
Riley Moser, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Thousands of other animals, including sea turtles, birds and dolphins, were also killed and harmed in that disaster.
—Kristen Monsell, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
The parents of a toddler who suffered a minor injury at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after squeezing through a fence near a wolf enclosure and making contact with one of the animals have been charged with endangering the welfare of children, police said.
—ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
There have been reports of wolves in Inyo County as the animals have rebounded, but none of those reports were confirmed, Hunnicutt said.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Zoos strictly prohibit crossing barriers or reaching into enclosures, emphasizing that these safeguards are in place to protect both visitors and animals.
—Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
That law, approved by 77% of Bay State voters back in 2016, bans the in-state sale of products derived from animals raised in extreme confinement.
—John Cleveland, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Scythia’s plants are its animals, and vice versa, blooming and breeding in alternate generations.
—Stephanie Burt, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Yet rats may be one of the most awe-worthy animals on the planet.
—Jason Bittel, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Riley Moser, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Thousands of other animals, including sea turtles, birds and dolphins, were also killed and harmed in that disaster.
—Kristen Monsell, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
The parents of a toddler who suffered a minor injury at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after squeezing through a fence near a wolf enclosure and making contact with one of the animals have been charged with endangering the welfare of children, police said.
—ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
There have been reports of wolves in Inyo County as the animals have rebounded, but none of those reports were confirmed, Hunnicutt said.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Zoos strictly prohibit crossing barriers or reaching into enclosures, emphasizing that these safeguards are in place to protect both visitors and animals.
—Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
That law, approved by 77% of Bay State voters back in 2016, bans the in-state sale of products derived from animals raised in extreme confinement.
—John Cleveland, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026
Scythia’s plants are its animals, and vice versa, blooming and breeding in alternate generations.
—Stephanie Burt, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Yet rats may be one of the most awe-worthy animals on the planet.
—Jason Bittel, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for animals
Noun
-
Riverside County Department of Animal Services officials are seeking help from the public in locating a pair of dogs that were recently involved in an attack on a wild burro, part of a series of attacks on the creatures dating back to late 2025.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The house is falling apart, bats in the fireplace, ants marching unfazed across the floor, smells of dead creatures decaying in the walls.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Expect to encounter other magical creatures and fantastic beasts along the way.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
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The zoo christened the beasts Gaston and Kathrin in the Glocks’ honor.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Animals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/animals. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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