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 The novelty vending machines mold souvenir sculptures — a train car, a gorilla, a bust of Abraham Lincoln — in under a minute, filling a two-sided mold with hot plastic, then hollowing it out with compressed air. — Juliet Bennett Rylah, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 About half the participants never noticed the gorilla because their attention was focused on counting passes rather than everything else happening around them. — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026 After a morning briefing, hikers spend up to one hour observing the gorillas in their natural habitat, according to Visit Rwanda. — Ashley Lynch july 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 Bakari previously lived at another Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited zoo with a group of bachelor male gorillas before being gradually introduced to the troop at Animal Kingdom. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 31 July 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 eponymous former assassin is drawn back into the game after some thugs (led by Alfie Allen) kill his dog and royally piss him off.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Tae-ha’s mom left him after Sang-gil, who was also a boxer prior to becoming a thug, cheated in a match.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of thug
Noun
  • There are no villains in Possible Love; there are only people who are aware of others, and people who are not.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The former Democratic speaker was the longtime villain, a mainstay in ads as Republicans linked Democratic candidates to her to paint them as radical and out of touch.
    — James A. Downs, The Washington Examiner, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of villain
Noun
  • Leonard, who made tens of millions in off-the-books, no-show endorsements, made out like a bandit with this settlement, especially since his $51 million contract for the coming season was not voided.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Analysts warn each ransom payment fuels more crime as armed groups, from rural bandits to Islamist militants, raid schools, mosques and villages, with an average of 21 kidnappings reported daily.
    — Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of bandit
Noun
  • British gangsters colliding with the Italian Mafia just feels so right for our world.
    — Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Sep. 2026
  • One kid wants to make a supernatural fantasy, another a gangster movie, another a boxing movie.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of gangster
Noun
  • Most crimes across Mexico went unsolved, and authorities sometimes appeared to be colluding with criminals instead of fighting them.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Keeping email, downloads and everyday web activity away from that machine reduces the opportunities criminals have to reach it.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of criminal
Noun
  • Before Atlanta, the girls weren’t judged as heavily based on their reads or confessional assassin abilities.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
  • As the President sat down to eat with the press corps, a would-be assassin stormed through a security checkpoint before being subdued by the Secret Service.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of assassin
Noun
  • This month, 190-piece Hershey Halloween candy bags, including pirate and witch varietals, are $5 off.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Bates first set up a pirate radio station at Knock John, another sea fort.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of pirate
Noun
  • Inspectors found buildup in the ventilation system hood filters.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Sep. 2026
  • But again, a lot underneath the hood has sort of led to that point.
    — Will Sammon, New York Times, 4 Sep. 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 9 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gorilla

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gorilla

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