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
Relevance
2
as in devil
an appealingly mischievous person
come back here, you little monkey!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 monkey
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
Other politicians and celebrities were similarly transformed into animals, with former president Joe Biden as a monkey and Kamala Harris as a turtle.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026
Michael Haag, Dallas News, 10 Oct. 2022
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. Ettan.
—Valerie Demicheva and Flora Chang, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 July 2021
See All Example Sentences for monkey
Noun
The new feature revolves around a 12-year-old monkey called MIP who is struggling to find his place in a world dominated by cats and rodents.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
Other politicians and celebrities were similarly transformed into animals, with former president Joe Biden as a monkey and Kamala Harris as a turtle.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
The Bears will be prepared for the environment, but getting that Morgantown monkey off their back will take a lot more than imagined.
—Michael Haag, Dallas News, 10 Oct. 2022
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. Ettan.
—Valerie Demicheva and Flora Chang, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 July 2021
See All Example Sentences for monkey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkey
Noun
-
John McEnroe’s son Kevin McEnroe identified with Nick Reiner — charged with murdering his parents Rob and Michele Reiner — in a new essay exploring their respective battles with addiction and growing up in the shadows of their famous parents.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To play devil’s advocate, Rodriguez has exhausted a lot of patience (there’s a funny quote in Felipe Cardenas’ analysis about his physical stats).—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Among the fastest-growing indoor plants is golden pathos or devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum).—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
American elites aped European fashions, art, and manners, and Europeans admired American energy and efficiency.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Trying To Avoid The Generic However, having minimal buttons is hardly an original design strategy when so many EVs have followed this route (aping Tesla).—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
India does have plans to reduce its dependence.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Instead of running everything through massive centralized models, enterprises are distributing intelligence by blending foundational models with small language models, reducing hyperscaler dependence and optimizing performance for specific, local environments.—
Abhas Ricky,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Of all the former rascals, Symoné has enjoyed the longest and most successful career in entertainment.—
Andrew Walsh,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In the years since 2004’s Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Penn’s carved out a niche embodying big-talking, attention-grabbing rascals who say inappropriate things, then shrug their way through the consequences.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The question was how to parody a movie in which the company itself played a pivotal part.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
-
In response, track athlete Alysia Montaño crafted a video in conjunction with the New York Times, parodying Nike’s sponsor’s ad.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
OpenAI’s safety framework requires special safeguards for models with high cybersecurity risk that are designed to prevent the AI from going rogue and doing things like acting deceptively, sabotaging safety research, or hiding its true capabilities.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Men and their doctors aren’t going rogue with this treatment—there is some research behind it.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Crafted from a cashmere-mimicking material in a drapey silhouette, this chic layer keeps you cozy without the itch or boxy fit.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Once activated with the magnet, these designs appear to move up and down, mimicking the motion of a laser barcode scanner.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Monkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkey. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
