gorilla

noun

gə-ˈri-lə How to pronounce gorilla (audio)
Definition of gorillanext
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

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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 M'Baku is the leader of the Jabari tribe, a Wakandan community that worships a gigantic white gorilla deity. — Sohini Sarah Pillai, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 Rwanda’s conservation model focuses on protecting gorilla families while generating funding for conservation efforts and local communities. — Leora Rothschild, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2026 Rates include all meals and drinks, plus a daily massage—much needed after a day spent gorilla trekking, hiking, or birdwatching in the nearby Volcanoes National Park. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026 Communities have planted trees for medicine, firewood and crafts along the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in a bid to reduce pressure on gorilla habitats. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gorilla
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gorilla
  1. thug
  2. villain
  3. bandit
  4. gangster
  5. criminal
  6. assassin
  7. pirate
  8. hood
Noun
  • The other was Albrecht Hohler, thirty, a Communist member of the paramilitary group the Red Front Fighters and well known locally as a particularly vicious thug—a petty criminal who had been released from jail only a few months earlier.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
  • These low-level thugs typically are not believed to be formally aligned with Iran.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of thug
Noun
  • Still, this villain’s origin story works better as a showcase for effects than anything tragic.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Directed by Grammy Award-winning filmmaker James Mackel, the visual is three-and-a-half minutes of spy stuff, our hero, dressed to impress, making short work of the many villains who lurk in her hotel.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of villain
Noun
  • Attacks by bandits are common across northern Nigeria where armed groups carry out attacks against civilian populations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Attacks by bandits are common across northern Nigeria, where armed groups carry out attacks against civilian populations.
    — Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of bandit
Noun
  • All those old Warner Brothers gangster movies were always playing on TV.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The Capone associates lined up six members of Moran's gang, and a seventh unaffiliated man who apparently liked hanging out with gangsters, against the north wall of the garage.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of gangster
Noun
  • The 83-year-old Mann is known for directing gritty crime stories, many of which look at cops and criminals and are set in urban landscapes.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 1 Nov. 2026
  • If a criminal still controls the sender's inbox, that person could potentially intercept the question and send a reassuring answer.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of criminal
Noun
  • The Democratic presidential front-runner had just finished his California primary victory speech — thanking Chávez and Huerta — when an assassin gunned him down.
    — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Nearly all of those 80 teams had a wing player who was either a prolific scorer, an in-his-prime All-Star, an accomplished floor general or a skilled shot creator/late-game assassin.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of assassin
Noun
  • In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the actor explained what would be his motivating factor to don the pirate hat again.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2026
  • By August, pirates had hijacked six commercial vessels since April, some far from Somalia’s coast.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of pirate
Noun
  • There are plenty of stout diesel engines designed for construction equipment or marine applications that will fit under the hood of a pickup truck or SUV and, as this build demonstrates, improve performance.
    — Stephen Edelstein, The Drive, 31 Oct. 2026
  • The double burner installed under the hood required a six inch overhang of the hood.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of hood

Browse Nearby Words

gorgons
gorilla
gorillas
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gorilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gorilla. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gorilla

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gorilla

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