as in thugs
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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Recent Examples of gorillas
While Goodall focused on chimps, Dian Fossey studied gorillas and Birutė Galdikas studied orangutans.
—
Tricia Escobedo, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Across mammal species, from baboons and gorillas up to humans, females usually live longer than the males do.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 1 Oct. 2025
John Mitani is a professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Michigan, whose studies over 45 years have included wild chimpanzees in Uganda and Tanzania; gibbons and orangutans in Indonesia, gorillas in Rwanda, and bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
—Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Zoo officials said gorillas in the wild typically live between 30 and 40 years, although those in captivity often live longer.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Basically, female gorillas seem to be seeking out their friends when deciding whether or not to make a change, says Robert Seyfarth, an emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania who has studied relationships in animals but wasn't part of this research team.
—Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 6 Aug. 2025
When visiting Uganda, perhaps on a journey to see the Silverback gorillas, women are expected to cover their legs, at least to below the knees.
—Jenny Peters, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025
Brookfield Zoo has relocated its gorillas to prepare them for their new $66 million habitat opening this summer.
—Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Orangutans and gorillas, for instance, are estimated to take approximately 99% of their annual diet from plant sources.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Tricia Escobedo, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Across mammal species, from baboons and gorillas up to humans, females usually live longer than the males do.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 1 Oct. 2025
John Mitani is a professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Michigan, whose studies over 45 years have included wild chimpanzees in Uganda and Tanzania; gibbons and orangutans in Indonesia, gorillas in Rwanda, and bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
—Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Zoo officials said gorillas in the wild typically live between 30 and 40 years, although those in captivity often live longer.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
Basically, female gorillas seem to be seeking out their friends when deciding whether or not to make a change, says Robert Seyfarth, an emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania who has studied relationships in animals but wasn't part of this research team.
—Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 6 Aug. 2025
When visiting Uganda, perhaps on a journey to see the Silverback gorillas, women are expected to cover their legs, at least to below the knees.
—Jenny Peters, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025
Brookfield Zoo has relocated its gorillas to prepare them for their new $66 million habitat opening this summer.
—Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Orangutans and gorillas, for instance, are estimated to take approximately 99% of their annual diet from plant sources.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gorillas
Noun
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Their neighbor, an older Jewish woman, gets arrested and Nazi thugs brazenly loot her apartment.—
Rabih Alameddine
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
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As night falls, armed thugs roam the streets and families pick up guns to protect themselves.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
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On Tuesday, a total of 300 federal agents stormed a South Side apartment building that Department of Homeland Security officials say harbored criminals.—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Columns speculated endlessly about the men in Mary’s life, her engagement to Daniel Payne and her connection to local criminals.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Advertisement As many of the best villains do, Ok-seon has a sympathetic backstory.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
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Developed and released by Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc, the game allows players to fight and explore as both heroes and villains from the iconic franchise, following a story mode that takes place in the universe’s Final War arc.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Now is the time to push back in defense of free speech – as strongly and as publicly as the gangsters on the left and right are threatening to revoke it.—
Onkar Ghate,
Oc Register,
26 Sep. 2025
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Unlike Mare, whose community was cloistered and intimate, Task builds a wider world of dealers, gangsters, and thieves, not always to its benefit.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket NFL fans can make out like bandits with the DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
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Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern were cast as the bumbling but dogged bandits, Harry and Marv, and Catherine O’Hara brought humor and compassion to the part of Kevin’s mother.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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On the other hand, there was also the concept of reading and how to integrate that in the story, how the pirates learn to read, and how words go together.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
20 Sep. 2025
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Leaders in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) focused on combating pirates and handling trade across the strait as Chinese settlers increasingly moved to the island.—
David C. Kang,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Are assassins like Kirk’s killer simply pathological outliers among agitated but otherwise self-restrained populations?—
Ron Barrett,
The Conversation,
2 Oct. 2025
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Brian’s life is saved by Murtagh, who tackles him and rolls him to a hiding spot while the assassins pass.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The sting took place along Interstate 40, where officials found most offenders with unverifiable licenses behind the wheels of 80,000-pound 18-wheelers.—
Christina Shaw,
FOXNews.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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The opinion article, published in The Mercury News, argued that criminal-justice reforms had weakened consequences for serious offenders.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gorillas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gorillas. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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