Thesaurus results for GORILLAS

gorillas

noun

plural of gorilla

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

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 gorillas The hike was difficult—about 90 minutes climbing through dense vegetation—but seeing gorillas in their natural environment made every step worthwhile. — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 In this new study, a team from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom analyzed recordings from four orangutans, two gorillas, four chimpanzees, three bonobos, two gorillas, and four humans. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 June 2026 Researchers tickled 13 captive apes — including gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos — and recorded the results. — ABC News, 25 June 2026 Chimpanzees and gorillas both live in groups where nearly all of the adults are female. — ArsTechnica, 25 June 2026 In a Sunday, June 14 update shared on its website and social media pages, Ape Action Africa announced that Parry, one of the gorillas in the organization's care in Cameroon, has completed a lengthy recovery and is back living in the forest. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gorillas

Noun

Threatening to limit mail-in voting, adding ridiculous ID requirements, or staging thugs at polling places are other possible ways to convince you to stay home.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 July 2026
To be sure, the thugs of Hamas and Hezbollah committed a horrific massacre of young Jewish civilians enjoying a music festival on October 7, 2023.

— DP Opinion, Denver Post, 6 July 2026

Definition of thugs

Noun

California has some of the nation’s toughest gun laws, but state lawmakers are concerned that a new technology is allowing criminals to obtain firearms by building them from scratch.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026
This lengthy process was typical of ICE’s previous procedures to track down criminals, Sandweg said, which may have shifted under the demands of this administration’s daily arrest goals.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Definition of criminals

Noun

In each, the protagonist(s) will be sought by both police and gangsters yet will lose their own money and have to get along without any while on the run.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
In Gosha’s case, that involves getting mixed up with gangsters at a seedy nightclub, a sequence that quickly deteriorates from being mildly comical to sinister to outright terrifying by even degrees.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026

Definition of gangsters

Noun

Instead, most are romantic stories about young lovers separated by fate, and the rest are swashbuckling adventures full of bandits and pirates.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
Fantastical adventures ensue as the pair encounter a mysterious woman, Alexandra, who has lost her son, along with coyotes, bandits, and some pretty big secrets.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 29 June 2026

Definition of bandits

Noun

Lucky Number Slevin, a movie about mistaken identity, rival crime syndicates, and assassins, was, for some reason (Josh Hartnett), one of the comfort movies of my childhood.

— Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 1 July 2026
These artisans, with their trade secrets, were kept on Murano, a cluster of islands just across the lagoon from the city, ostensibly as a precaution against fire, though the state would also send assassins after anyone who tried to leave.

— Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

Definition of assassins

Noun

For traffickers and offenders who rely on quick escapes along our state’s busy roadways, LPRs strip away their advantage.

— Charles "Chuck" Broadway, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2026
The work paid off with stacks of citations across the Sacramento area, officials said, and steep costs for offenders — including a fine of $100,000 or more for one Del Paso Heights home’s pyrotechnic display.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of offenders

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“Gorillas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gorillas. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of gorillas

noun

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