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
There are few animals as fascinating and entertaining to watch as gorillas.
—
Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026
Sprawled across 163 acres of Rock Creek Park, the zoo is home to 2,700 animals such as giant pandas, elephants, alpacas, pythons, cheetahs, gorillas, and more.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Baby gorillas learn about the world and the social dynamics of their family group, known as a troop, through their mother.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 June 2026
But gorillas are thought to be very susceptible to Ebola -– by some estimates 98% of gorillas who get Ebola die from the virus and it's already reduced the global gorilla population by approximately one-third.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 6 June 2026
In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected fruit bats, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead in the rainforest.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 2 June 2026
The day after the birth, Olympia was reunited with her troop and, hours later, her baby was introduced to the other gorillas.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 31 May 2026
According to the zoo, fewer than a dozen C-sections have been performed on gorillas around the world.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 27 May 2026
The hope is that Little Joe will fit in with the Pittsburgh Zoo's two females, 29-year-old Moka and 35-year-old Ibo, and the younger gorillas, 3-year-old Charlotte and 2-year-old Bo.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026
Sprawled across 163 acres of Rock Creek Park, the zoo is home to 2,700 animals such as giant pandas, elephants, alpacas, pythons, cheetahs, gorillas, and more.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Baby gorillas learn about the world and the social dynamics of their family group, known as a troop, through their mother.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 June 2026
But gorillas are thought to be very susceptible to Ebola -– by some estimates 98% of gorillas who get Ebola die from the virus and it's already reduced the global gorilla population by approximately one-third.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 6 June 2026
In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected fruit bats, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead in the rainforest.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 2 June 2026
The day after the birth, Olympia was reunited with her troop and, hours later, her baby was introduced to the other gorillas.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 31 May 2026
According to the zoo, fewer than a dozen C-sections have been performed on gorillas around the world.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 27 May 2026
The hope is that Little Joe will fit in with the Pittsburgh Zoo's two females, 29-year-old Moka and 35-year-old Ibo, and the younger gorillas, 3-year-old Charlotte and 2-year-old Bo.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gorillas
Noun
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The actions of these thugs, who should be imprisoned for a long while, is the cause of denying real Knicks fans the chance to watch the game communally.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 June 2026
-
People have committed suicide because a bunch of thugs went after them.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
An allegation last year by a provincial police commander that top officers and officials were colluding with organized criminals led Ramaphosa to announce a national investigation into police corruption.—
Michelle Gumede,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
Roman emperors, sometimes urged on by the crowd, were known to grant pardons (to criminals) and freedom (to the enslaved) after an especially noteworthy performance.—
Cullen Murphy,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
And, hey, the league is better when there are villains.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
The festive, charming and energetic North American tour of the Broadway production is packed with as much nostalgia as new characters that are doppelgangers for the original series’ heroes and villains, and who often challenge our assumptions about their infamous families.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
One of the most innovative gangsters of the 20th century, Frank Lucas earned the title of Harlem drug kingpin in the late-‘60s and early-‘70s by importing high-quality heroin from Southeast Asia and selling it under the street name Blue Magic.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
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Sensing this once-great dynasty is in decline, the outback’s most powerful factions — rival cattle barons, desert gangsters, Indigenous elders, and billionaire miners — move in for the kill, with billions of dollars at stake.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
4 June 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
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Tens of thousands drowned, while others were raped, robbed, and murdered by pirates, finding vulnerable prey.—
Elizabeth Holtzman,
Time,
9 June 2026
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No child, or reader of Robert Louis Stevenson, can deny the allure of pirates, but the marauders are rarely the good guys in the story.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Forced to flee together, the pair embark on a high-stakes road trip across Europe while being hunted by law enforcement, elite assassins and dangerous criminals.—
Lily Brown,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
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The bombshells, Gabriel from Brazil and Kayda from New Hampshire, arrive like sexy assassins and silently start making out with everyone standing on a red dot.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Some offenders already are barred, including those convicted of first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
Florida prosecutes children as adults for serious crimes and sends juvenile offenders to adult prisons at higher rates than any other state.—
Jay Blitzman,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gorillas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gorillas. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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