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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of monkey
Ari Daniel, NPR, 9 Mar. 2026
The Broward County Commission has shot down a proposal that would have cleared the way for a property owner to put up warehouses on and near environmentally sensitive land, some of which has been home to a colony of African vervet monkeys since the late 1940s.
—Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
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
Noun
In biological anthropology, it's called the drunken monkey hypothesis.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 9 Mar. 2026
The Broward County Commission has shot down a proposal that would have cleared the way for a property owner to put up warehouses on and near environmentally sensitive land, some of which has been home to a colony of African vervet monkeys since the late 1940s.
—Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 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
Noun
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Jalloh's lawyers requested a 6½-year prison sentence and placement in a facility with residential drug treatment for inmates with addiction and substance abuse issues.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
-
All the secrets pour out, the revelations of infidelity and addiction and so on, as the group gives vent to the stuff that’s previously been unsayable—not to fix anything, mind you, since some things can’t be fixed.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Other propaganda compared Native people to buffalo, cats, dogs, and devils.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
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Also called devil's snare, the plant's seeds, roots, stems, and leaves are all dangerous if ingested.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The re-enactments, which include bomb-making and transportation, as well as the three-pronged plan to escape, have a flavor that calls to mind ’70s heist and spy films, accompanied by Michael James Lee’s jaunty, genre-aping score.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
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In 1685, Giovanni Borelli, the Italian physicist, foresaw a world where machines driven by pulleys could ape the actions of animals.—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Obviously there are risks with all kinds of energy imports, and some European leaders have been vocal about not wanting to replace reliance on Russian or even US fossil fuels with dependence on Chinese clean tech.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
10 Mar. 2026
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The conflict has strengthened calls for more focus on renewable energy to reduce dependence on foreign fuel.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Right now, the rascal in him slumbers, briefly glimpsed now and again behind dark shades.—
Emma Madden,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
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Of all the former rascals, Symoné has enjoyed the longest and most successful career in entertainment.—
Andrew Walsh,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
It was endlessly parodied and imitated.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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But for fans who’ve lived with this show across decades — through different casts, different eras, different presidents being parodied on cold opens — the real measure of Michaels’ impact is harder to quantify.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But of course, a Democratic lawmaker could still go rogue and force a Gonzales expulsion vote on their own.—
Nicholas Wu,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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Streetwise rogues in the mould of an enigmatic leader… there are certainly parallels between Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid and Tommy Shelby’s Peaky Blinders.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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These systems can detect naval mines and trigger them safely by mimicking the movement and acoustic signals of large ships.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
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This manicure has a mix of moss green shades and lighter beige tints that mimic nature's landscape.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Monkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkey. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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