as in thugs
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the loan shark sent a couple of gorillas to "convince" him to pay up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 gorillas
Unlike the more subdued gorillas, chimpanzees spend much of their time swinging through treetops, offering an exhilarating spectacle (but requiring more patience to spot).
—
Praveen Moman, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2024
On the flip side, the zoos provide fans, ice and cooling areas to some animals in the summer, such as polar bears and gorillas.
—Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Dec. 2024
Over the last decade my wife and I have tracked gorillas in the misty hills of Uganda, rowed mokotos in rivers teeming with hippos and crocodiles on the Okavango Delta, and camped on the otherworldly Etosha salt pan in Namibia.
—Tanveer Badal, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Dec. 2024
The care team member — intending to separate Eyare from other gorillas for an individual training session — accidentally activated the wrong door, striking the young gorilla, who sustained traumatic head injuries.
—Gabriella Rudy, NBC News, 26 Nov. 2024
The same is true in modern primates, where 21% to 36% of chimpanzees, 20% of gorillas, and 61% of orangutans have suffered non-fatal falls with a resultant long bone fracture, usually of the forearm.
—Carly Miller, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
Massive sculptures of moon men and gorillas line the pool, which features a jacuzzi-sized ice bath.
—Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
Female gorillas get a better look at solitary males and decide whether to join them.
—Zhengyang Wang, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2024
And then, gorillas might be unleashed, and ghosts might come out in the audience.
—Scott Feinblatt, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2024
Praveen Moman, Travel + Leisure, 21 Dec. 2024
On the flip side, the zoos provide fans, ice and cooling areas to some animals in the summer, such as polar bears and gorillas.
—Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Dec. 2024
Over the last decade my wife and I have tracked gorillas in the misty hills of Uganda, rowed mokotos in rivers teeming with hippos and crocodiles on the Okavango Delta, and camped on the otherworldly Etosha salt pan in Namibia.
—Tanveer Badal, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Dec. 2024
The care team member — intending to separate Eyare from other gorillas for an individual training session — accidentally activated the wrong door, striking the young gorilla, who sustained traumatic head injuries.
—Gabriella Rudy, NBC News, 26 Nov. 2024
The same is true in modern primates, where 21% to 36% of chimpanzees, 20% of gorillas, and 61% of orangutans have suffered non-fatal falls with a resultant long bone fracture, usually of the forearm.
—Carly Miller, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
Massive sculptures of moon men and gorillas line the pool, which features a jacuzzi-sized ice bath.
—Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Oct. 2024
Female gorillas get a better look at solitary males and decide whether to join them.
—Zhengyang Wang, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2024
And then, gorillas might be unleashed, and ghosts might come out in the audience.
—Scott Feinblatt, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gorillas
Noun
-
But even as the ways criminals use ransomware are set to evolve, the actual makeup of the technology isn’t expected to change too drastically in the coming years.—
Ryan Browne,
CNBC,
30 Dec. 2024
-
The regulation, which would require small businesses to disclose the identity of people who directly or indirectly own a control a company, is designed to prevent criminals from hiding illicit activity conducted through shell companies or opaque ownership structures, the Treasury said.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
30 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The next big bad in Jared Leto's motley crew of sinister screen villains has finally been announced.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
21 Dec. 2024
-
Monica compiled nine quotes the other villains had said about West, Larsa and New York, and the three of them need to match those quotes to who said them.—
Dana Rose Falcone,
People.com,
20 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Worried that this year’s game will begin soon, Gi-hun ups the reward to 1 billion won (around $695,000) and intensifies the search until basically all of Seoul’s gangsters are working for him.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
26 Dec. 2024
-
Eventually, the two men — and the small army of gangsters and mercenaries Gi-hun has hired with his massive cash reserves — team up.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
26 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Several warring factions exist within the Zone, as well as lone bandits and stalkers.—
Issy van der Velde,
Rolling Stone,
20 Nov. 2024
-
There were also potential issues at Pangong Lake, the location where the bandits are carried by the elephants and find the Mystic in a tree.—
Leila Jordan,
IndieWire,
14 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Perhaps the most controversial event was the killing off of John Dutton in a murder staged by assassins as a suicide.—
Greg Braxton,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Dec. 2024
-
Are there shadowy forces directing the hands of today’s political assassins?—
Steven Gaydos,
Variety,
19 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
In Texas, the parole division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice identifies offenders six months before their initial eligibility and notice is sent to both trial officials and victim family members.—
Olivia Garrett,
USA TODAY,
3 Jan. 2025
-
In the state of Louisiana, a DUI offense is considered a felony on third and subsequent convictions, according to Louisiana Court Records, although first-time DUI offenders can face felony charges in instances where a death or violation of child endangerment laws is involved.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gorillas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gorillas. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share