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monkey 1 of 2

noun

ˈməŋ-kē How to pronounce monkey (audio)
Definition of monkeynext
1
as in addiction
a physiological need for certain drugs I've got this monkey on my back, and going to detox is the only way to get it off

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in devil
an appealingly mischievous person come back here, you little monkey!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

monkey

2 of 2

verb

as in to ape

Related Words

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 monkey
Noun
On the ground floor, in the VR game Dash-180c, 2026, viewers adopt the first-person perspective of a drone, which takes them to an overgrown, tropical, post-human 3D universe ruled by monkeys—more funereal than fun. — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 The monkey remains a mystery, especially because Clark remembers her grandparents as devoted baseball fans rather than basketball fans. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
With supply running low toward the end of most evenings, savvy bun fanatics don’t monkey around, routinely calling ahead to request an extra skillet of rolls set aside just for them. — Valerie Demicheva and Flora Chang, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 July 2021 But this experiment isn't about monkeying around—this a real security and safety hazard, the researchers point out in a new paper. — Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 31 Jan. 2020 See All Example Sentences for monkey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkey
  1. addiction
  2. devil
  3. ape
  4. dependence
  5. rascal
  6. parody
  7. brat
  8. mimic
Noun
  • Thank you so much for supporting my poor life decisions and feeding my sugar addiction.
    — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Since its founding in 1991, the gala has raised funds to support MusiCares’ programs, including health and wellness services, addiction recovery, mental health, preventive care, disaster relief and financial assistance for music professionals.
    — Paul Grein, Billboard, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of addiction
Noun
  • In January, Watts was a guest on actor Rainn Wilson’s podcast, where Watts played devil’s advocate to Wilson’s skeptic about casual use of mind-altering substances.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers have also documented the phenomenon in dogs, Tasmanian devils, and some kinds of clams and other shellfish.
    — Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of devil
Verb
  • Critics and fanboy media thrashed Supergirl not just for its Guardians of the Galaxy touchstones, but also for aping Mad Max.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 29 June 2026
  • The track apes the softly anthemic approach of U2, Coldplay, and the National—until all of that elegant uplift topples like an overly ambitious wedding cake.
    — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026
Definition of ape
Noun
  • The film centers on Leo and Anne, whose relationship becomes caught in a cycle of attraction and separation as the boundaries between intimacy and dependence, care and control and presence and absence steadily begin to collapse.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Maintaining critical propulsion equipment domestically can reduce dependence on overseas industrial capacity when engines require major servicing, potentially improving fleet availability and resilience.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of dependence
Noun
  • Even though the Feeneys have gotten more competitive under the junior Michel’s management, the rascal-on-the-field ethos of the original team still prevails.
    — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
  • Not even the curmudgeonly Melvin can bring himself to harm the little rascal.
    — Camille Perri, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
Definition of rascal
Verb
  • The White House announced Arcade on social media with a series of animations parodying Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo loading screens.
    — Lou Kesten, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Jules Dassin’s Rififi (1955) and Stanley Kubrick’s The Killing (1956) further refined the formula, while a number of decidedly sillier capers in the ’60s both parodied and advanced the genre, helping set the stage for the modern Ocean’s movies.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of parody
Noun
  • Menu items include the charcoal burger, chicken, pizza, the brat burger and ribs.
    — Cathy Kozlowicz, jsonline.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Chamberlain was a Navy brat from the Midwest, who left the service to become a hairdresser in Chicago but was drawn with an intense magnetism toward the School of the Art Institute.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of brat
Verb
  • Interestingly, the platform mimics the way biological brains calculate using physical movement.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
  • So that, zombie- or indeed mummy-like, the barbarians can mimic imperial subjects enough to look human.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of mimic

Phrases Containing monkey

Browse Nearby Words

monk
monkey
monkey (around)
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Cite this Entry

“Monkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkey. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monkey

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