as in creature
one of the lower animals as distinguished from human beings
we saw a lot of animals at the wildlife refuge—cranes, alligators, deer, a fox, even an armadillo
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in physical
of or relating to the human body
had intellectual as well as animal needs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of animal
Kate Perez, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Imagine banishing stuffed animals from the living room, corralling all the toy cars outside the main bedroom, and finally finding a place for that play kitchen that isn’t your actual kitchen.
—Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 11 Feb. 2026
Phil Kafarakis, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Ramping up surveillance Experts say the U.S. needs to boost its surveillance and detection systems now that there are more animal and human cases of D1.1.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for animal
Noun
Valentine's Day pagan connections Lupercalia was a debaucherous festival that celebrated the coming of spring that included animal sacrifices and drunken revelry to honor Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Imagine banishing stuffed animals from the living room, corralling all the toy cars outside the main bedroom, and finally finding a place for that play kitchen that isn’t your actual kitchen.
—Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Rendering is a process that transforms animal by-products, like leftover meat and fats...and yes, chicken feet, into usable materials, such as animal feed, fuel, and other industrial products.
—Phil Kafarakis, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Ramping up surveillance Experts say the U.S. needs to boost its surveillance and detection systems now that there are more animal and human cases of D1.1.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for animal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for animal
Noun
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Researchers also learned that these 7- to 10-pound creatures, which are not much larger than a house cat, are impressively agile and travel about seven miles a day in extremely rugged territory.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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The indentations in the squishy mud harkened to a creature that had webbed toes and distinct claws.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Both Bloom’s and Brick’s physical devices may also give them an edge with young people who increasingly prefer the analog over the digital.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
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There are more overtly sexy moments in Fennell’s movie — the physical intimacy is ratcheted up significantly from the book — but this scene underlines the Brontë’s themes of desire and repression — and the friction between them — that imprinted on the filmmaker as a teen.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The dispatch Compass is that rare beast — a British company that is a genuine world leader in its field.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
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The place was used for wild beast hunts, public executions, and gladiator fights for several hundred years, then became a condo of sorts as medieval Romans made their homes in the hulking ruins.—
Katie Parla,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Chad Michael Watts, 45, faces two counts of assault causing bodily injury.—
Jessica Ma,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Jennifer Penton is charged with involuntary manslaughter, causing serious bodily injury to a person participating in a training program involving physical exercise, and perjury.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Animal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/animal. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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