as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the loan shark sent a couple of gorillas to "convince" him to pay up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of gorilla
Pictures released by the park’s press service showed the 22-year-old Mafuko holding the two baby gorillas, sitting on the ground and partly obscured by branches with green leaves.
—
Reuters, NBC news, 8 Jan. 2026
Packed with extraordinary gorilla behavior never filmed before, this is a story of hope and joy.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
Forget about 100 men vs one gorilla — what about three teenage boys vs one middle-aged comedian?
—Ew Staff December 5, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Dec. 2025
There is something charming, though, about seeing what is clearly just a man in a gorilla suit be played so straightforward and earnestly like a special effect.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gorilla
Reuters, NBC news, 8 Jan. 2026
Packed with extraordinary gorilla behavior never filmed before, this is a story of hope and joy.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
Forget about 100 men vs one gorilla — what about three teenage boys vs one middle-aged comedian?
—Ew Staff December 5, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Dec. 2025
There is something charming, though, about seeing what is clearly just a man in a gorilla suit be played so straightforward and earnestly like a special effect.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gorilla
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gorilla
Noun
-
In this black comedy adapted from the graphic novel, when a bunch of thugs come to her door demanding that Paige’s grandfather (Liam Neeson) help them out with a bank heist, Paige decides to rescue him by doing it herself, with her friends.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Although the film became a template for white revenge fantasies, its street thugs are assembled with almost comic care to avoid racial bias.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Sex and the City villain seemed unsupportive of his longtime co-star and love interest, Sarah Jessica Parker, being honored with a Carol Burnett lifetime-achievement award at the Golden Eve last week.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
14 Jan. 2026
-
While the Infinity Saga revolved around Thanos (Josh Brolin) as the main villain, the Multiverse Saga will debut Doctor Doom as the big bad in the upcoming film.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There can be no doubt that in tax terms, America’s wealthiest families make out like bandits.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The robbery lasted less than seven minutes, as the bandits used a truck with an extendable ladder to cut through a window on a second-floor balcony, according to police.—
Mason Leath,
ABC News,
27 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Or downtown was too unsafe, during the gangster era.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Beset by gangs and guns, the Haçienda faltered in the ’90s despite clever-sounding schemes such as replacing the club’s security with the gangsters themselves.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The first thing to do is to reduce the damage to the United States, the inflow of guns and criminals and immigrants and drugs into the United States, the destabilizing of a key part of the Western Hemisphere.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Also, place freezes with ChexSystems and the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange to stop criminals from opening bank accounts, phone lines, or utility services in his name.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Though detectives conclude that assassin cult members Ash (Jon Pointing) and Dee Dee (Maeve Courtier-Lilley) were the ones who killed Aaron, Paige revealed that the real killer was Ingrid.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Maduro is being held in the same federal jail in Brooklyn as accused assassin Luigi Mangione.—
Michael Ruiz , Maria Paronich , Brendan McDonald,
FOXNews.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These oil fields basically are pirate operations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Notorious pirate Jean Lafitte frequented neighboring Grand Terre Island in the early 1800s.—
Kristy Christiansen,
Southern Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Some people even shared old photos of Indigenous peoples wearing the hoods, noting that the originators of the design kept the fur outward to break cold wind and trap snow.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The company says its solution allows solar panels to be integrated directly into the hood, bonnet, and roof of a vehicle.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gorilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gorilla. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
