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
ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
To me, that's what was the most interesting thing is the relationship between the handler and their animal.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Callie Sumlin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Oct. 2025
Perhaps unsurprisingly, dogs were more likely to respond to animal stimuli than to non-animal stimuli.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for animal
Noun
The animal always faced long odds to find its way out into the North Sea, itself a journey of several hundred kilometers (miles), and then to the Atlantic Ocean.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
To me, that's what was the most interesting thing is the relationship between the handler and their animal.
—Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Not quite plant, not quite animal; delicious and wild and rare.
—Callie Sumlin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Oct. 2025
Perhaps unsurprisingly, dogs were more likely to respond to animal stimuli than to non-animal stimuli.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for animal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for animal
Noun
-
Trying to reach for that classic creature feature, Cinemascope, old Hollywood vibe.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
-
One by one, its resident creatures began to die.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Over 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the United States have experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
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Endowed not only with a privileged birthright but—unlike the actual princes over in England, who had weak chins and went bald young—the physical stature to match?—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Big Dipper is the brightest part of the beast.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Even with the Hornets in the midst of one of the best stretches in franchise history and the city gravitating toward full-fledged acceptance and happiness, the test that stood before them was a beast.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Keshaun Perkins, 23, of Lake Station, was charged Monday with two counts of murder and one count of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
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He is also accused of felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and committing a violent offense in the presence of a child.—
Michael Ruiz , Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Animal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/animal. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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