bestiality

noun

ˌbes-chē-ˈa-lə-tē How to pronounce bestiality (audio)
Definition of bestialitynext
as in brutality
the manifestation of the traits or the gratification of the appetites of a lower animal by the end of hostilities the suffering populace had been reduced to a level of bestiality that would have been unthinkable before the war

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bestiality
  1. brutality
  2. cruelty
Noun
  • Viral videos of the police brutality on Instagram and YouTube swelled the crowds even further and transformed the protest site into a zone of occupation with the energy of a carnival.
    — Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Nixon administration played hardball Republican presidential candidate Richard Nixon, for example, attacked coverage of police brutality at the 1968 Chicago Democratic National Convention as one-sided in favor of antiwar protestors.
    — Heather Hendershot, The Conversation, 31 July 2026
Definition of brutality
Noun
  • He also was arrested on charges of misdemeanor child abuse, unauthorized practice of veterinary medicine for performing surgery on dogs, and dozens of counts of animal cruelty.
    — Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Saleem Martin, who has been charged with kidnapping, theft by taking, simple battery, entering an automobile, cruelty to children and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
    — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of cruelty
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.

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bestial
bestiality
bestialize
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Cite this Entry

“Bestiality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bestiality. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bestiality

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bestiality

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