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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gorilla
During that scene, voted one of Britain's top TV moments of all time, a young gorilla lies across his body while several babies try to remove his shoes.
—
ABC News, 8 May 2026
While Attenborough has had no shortage of unforgettable moments over the years, a standout experience for both him and his viewers involved a group of wild gorillas who sat on his lap.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
Building these rudimentary and temporary platforms—something modern gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees still do—would have offered protection from predators and blood-sucking insects.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Ask Theo Epstein, who once escaped the Henry regime in a gorilla suit, only to return, win a second Series and then bolt for the Chicago Cubs.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gorilla
ABC News, 8 May 2026
While Attenborough has had no shortage of unforgettable moments over the years, a standout experience for both him and his viewers involved a group of wild gorillas who sat on his lap.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
Building these rudimentary and temporary platforms—something modern gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees still do—would have offered protection from predators and blood-sucking insects.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Ask Theo Epstein, who once escaped the Henry regime in a gorilla suit, only to return, win a second Series and then bolt for the Chicago Cubs.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gorilla
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gorilla
Noun
-
The masked thugs deposit a tearful middle-aged woman in front of Bass, Newsom, and Harris.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
-
White thugs destroyed it in the 1921 Race Massacre.—
Jasmine Desiree,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Was that a conscious decision after the controversy surrounding past tweets that made some people see you as a villain during the Emilia Pérez Oscar campaign?—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
Angel Reese has never had a problem embracing the villain role.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Deportees from the United States are especially vulnerable to robbery and kidnapping because gangs and bandits assume that their families can pay larger ransoms.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
-
Joined by her hapless but loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay), Prue navigates a world of talking animals, bandits, and powerful figures driven by grief and ambition.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The only ones making money on alcohol now were gangsters.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 May 2026
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The gangsters who are running the country almost pride themselves on a lack of subtlety and finesse.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
When unhoused people are treated as criminals, they are pushed into an identity of exclusion rather than belonging.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
Set in Gaza in 2007, and following the misadventures of a student (Nader Abd Alhay) and restaurant owner and petty criminal (Majd Eid), the picture premiered in Un Certain Regard last year and won the Best Director prize.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
English actress Comer is probably best known for her role as sociopathic assassin Villanelle on BBC America’s Killing Eve, which earned her an Emmy and BAFTA TV Award.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
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As a refresher, the epic Yellowstone finale saw the Dutton family finally uncover how patriarch John Dutton was killed by an assassin hired by Jamie’s (Wes Bentley) girlfriend.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Over the past quarter-century, the UKMTO has dealt with other shipping crises too, as when Somali pirates were most active during the late 2000s or Houthi rebels in Yemen intensified their attacks on vessels passing through the Red Sea in 2023.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
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Because it’s located on the beach, kids have access to the sand and sun, and there’s a pirate-ship style play area outside.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Noun
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All of the suspects were dressed head-to-toe in black, with some wearing hoods and masks.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
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The dress had a hood attached that acted as a veil; when Taylor removed it, the dress transformed into an off-the-shoulder stunner.—
Julie Tremaine,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gorilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gorilla. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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