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 Machi was the oldest gorilla at Zoo Atlanta and one of the last remaining living members of the zoo's original group of gorillas. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026 Only a dozen habituated gorilla families are open to visitors, and no more than eight people may visit each family per day. — Emily Baldwin, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2026 Conversations with chimpanzees and gorillas aren’t exactly rich in metaphor and critical analysis. — Mike McRae 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026 Until then, Kamba and Nora will use the outdoor yard separately from Como’s gorilla troop and may not always be visible to visitors. — Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 1 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
  • These low-level thugs typically are not believed to be formally aligned with Iran.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Borisov, who broke through as a thug with a poet’s soul in the 2024 Anora, vests Ilya with the same spiritual contours.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of thug
Noun
  • The station is soon invaded by out-of-time baseball stars, fairytale villains, and unseasonal snow, all created by aliens eager to understand the concept of imagination.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Carrie’s focus is also shifted, with the 2013 version finding Chloe Grace Moretz’s Carrie more akin to an X-Men villain than the traumatized, feverish teen Sissy Spacek played in 1976.
    — Alex Zalben, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of villain
Noun
  • The father pulls over, and the car is immediately swarmed over by bandits, who brutally kill him — plus his wife and two kids — with no mercy.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In the decade of violent conflicts that followed, attacks on border towns and seizures of American property by revolutionaries and bandits prompted the United States to send two military expeditions into Mexico.
    — Robert B. Zoellick, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of bandit
Noun
  • Certain alleyways were favored for chases and gangster murders.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • When citizens rioted in 1918 because the prices of essential commodities such as rice had spiralled out of control, gangsters were hired to crack down on the protesters.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of gangster
Noun
  • Still, a criminal may combine those details with passwords, PINs or other information stolen elsewhere.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Pillay, 85, received the news while attending a forum in Nuremberg, Germany, where the trials of Nazi war criminals helped lay the foundations of international law.
    — Stefanie Dazio, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of criminal
Noun
  • Today in the age of AI, the threats are not just from a lone assassin's bullet but autonomous attack drones.
    — Norah O'Donnell, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Based on Nick Harkaway’s novel The Price You Pay, the show follows Jackie Price, a former drug queenpin hunted by seven elite assassins.
    — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of assassin
Noun
  • Wild to me though that something that expensive would just be dropped off with porch pirates out there.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Jamal convened a press conference proclaiming to be able to communicate by phone with Somali pirates who were holding a Nigerian ship hostage.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of pirate
Noun
  • The collection’s ready-to-wear offering includes parkas and puffers, which feature adjustable hoods and hems, zipped pockets, and ventilation.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Under the hood, buyers will have access to multiple powertrain choices depending on the region.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 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 15 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gorilla

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gorilla

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