1
as in shrews
a bad-tempered scolding woman
in fairy tales stepmothers are often portrayed as harpies who make the lives of their stepchildren miserable
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in predators
a person who habitually preys upon others
having just started to make it really big in the music business, he found himself surrounded by a flock of harpies greedy for a piece of the action
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harpies
And because harpies rely on large emergent trees for nesting and an extensive, continuous canopy for hunting, even partial deforestation will severely disrupt their ability to breed and forage.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
In the right-wing imagination, these women are acting like harpies — an epithet often seen online — when they’re supposed to be helpmeets.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
Think a front desk hewn from Dionysos marble and sconces in the shape of harpies.
—Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 11 Aug. 2025
Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
In the right-wing imagination, these women are acting like harpies — an epithet often seen online — when they’re supposed to be helpmeets.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
Think a front desk hewn from Dionysos marble and sconces in the shape of harpies.
—Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harpies
Noun
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These are important tools used for both feeding and building their dens and digging for other menu items such as mice, gophers, voles and shrews.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
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The tiny bodies of weasels, shrews and bats burn energy so fast that skipping even one meal can mean starvation.—
Leonie Baier,
The Conversation,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Researchers also warn that caimans may compete with alligators, crocodiles and other predators for food resources, potentially altering aquatic food webs over time.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
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Naples, a city along the southwest coast of Florida, is plagued by one of the most capable creepy predators on the planet.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Hugh Jackman has fought mutants, slayed vampires and gone toe-to-toe dancing with Zac Efron.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
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Southern Ontario is, famously, where the vampires hang out.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Bald eagles, owls, hawks, falcons and vultures are all among the birds of prey visitors can see when visiting the 3-acre property on Lake Sybelia, which is one of 55 Audubon centers and sanctuaries nationwide.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
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The cougar would have done a good job of stripping off the main parts, then vultures and smaller animals would have cleaned up the leftovers.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harpies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harpies. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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