mastodon

noun

ˈma-stə-ˌdän How to pronounce mastodon (audio)
Definition of mastodonnext
as in whale
something or someone that is unusually large and powerful mom-and-pop stores just can't compete with these mastodons of retailing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 mastodon Ground sloths and mastodons are linked to forest habitats. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Mar. 2026 For example, utility workers once uncovered an ancient bone fragment from a mastodon. — Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025 The frieze, estimated to be about 12,500 years old, depicts massive ice age beasts thought to have once roamed South America, including mastodons and ground sloths the size of a car. — Laura Bassett, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2025 This was an important clue to a developing theory that grazing megafauna—such as the extinct mammoths and mastodons that once roamed the southern Appalachians—may have played a role. — Mike Bezemek, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for mastodon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mastodon
  1. whale
  2. dinosaur
  3. giant
  4. monster
  5. mammoth
  6. elephant
Noun
  • The hunt is increasingly contentious in Iceland, where whale meat is now rarely eaten.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Rafts of otters entertained me with their antics, while dolphins played in the wake of whale-watching boats.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
Definition of whale
Noun
  • Aegon’s presence is overshadowed by that of Sunfyre, who prowls onto the scene, more like a dinosaur than a dragon.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Best serving platters for dip under $35 From kids to adults, no one can decline chips and dips from this fun dinosaur serving set.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of dinosaur
Noun
  • Spider-Man teams up with Jon Bernthal’s Punisher to take down the green giant and stop the him from destroying the Damage Control skyscraper entirely.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • Jewelry giant Pandora is supporting the 20th-anniversary gala at Danish Royal Opera, as well as the New Talent program, providing jewelry for Taus and Anne-Sofie Madsen, who are about to graduate from the scheme.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 31 July 2026
Definition of giant
Noun
  • For additional context, the war against the Locust kicks off only a few weeks after the 79-year conflict between human factions known as the Pendulum Wars, which explains why the COG wasn't in the best of conditions when the monsters attacked.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Kuwaki was the clubhouse leader on 5-under-par when Henseleit dropped a monster 40ft putt to birdie the 18th, taking the final major of the year to a sudden-death playoff.
    — Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of monster
Noun
  • These results raise some questions about how Ice Age hunter-gatherers interacted with wooly mammoths.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 30 July 2026
  • For a mammoth, a successful pregnancy in an elephant surrogate would drag on for almost two years.
    — Taylor Dotson, Scientific American, 10 July 2026
Definition of mammoth
Noun
  • Kenya is home to the Big Five (lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos and buffalo), and its Maasai Mara National Reserve hosts the annual Great Migration when millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles cross the ecosystem.
    — Ashley Lynch July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • The last two elephants, Billy and Tina, were transferred last year to the Tulsa Zoo after decades of campaigns by animal rights advocates over living conditions and a history of deaths and health challenges.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of elephant

Browse Nearby Words

masticating
mastodon
mastodons
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mastodon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mastodon. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on mastodon

Nglish: Translation of mastodon for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mastodon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All