as in brutality
the manifestation of the traits or the gratification of the appetites of a lower animal
without law and order, society would quickly devolve into a state of animalism
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Recent Examples of animalism
Hope is something that Dior’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri can related to, having explored the dualities of hope and despair (as well as lightness and darkness, and fluidity and animalism) in her spring 2023 collection.
—
Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 22 Jan. 2025
All of a sudden, that animalism has been incarnated.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 25 Mar. 2024
But what Cameron represents to Harper is unfettered animalism, and that’s part of what’s missing in her relationship with Ethan.
—Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 12 Dec. 2022
The Seven Commandments (Revised) of Orwellian Animalism:
This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links.
—John Brownlee, WIRED, 15 Jan. 2007
Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 22 Jan. 2025
All of a sudden, that animalism has been incarnated.
—Hunter Ingram, Variety, 25 Mar. 2024
But what Cameron represents to Harper is unfettered animalism, and that’s part of what’s missing in her relationship with Ethan.
—Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 12 Dec. 2022
The Seven Commandments (Revised) of Orwellian Animalism:
This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links.
—John Brownlee, WIRED, 15 Jan. 2007
Recent Examples of Synonyms for animalism
Noun
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The sly blend of beauty and brutality is also apparent in the film’s sound design.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
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The protagonist, Frannie’s, story begins in a plantation in Jamaica, the brutality of which is chillingly evoked, but by moving much of the novel’s action to London, Sara Collins helps show just how tightly interwoven Black Caribbean history is with the history of the UK.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In other words, humans can act against the animal component of their nature and manifest their humanity by rejecting their animality.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Nov. 2025
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This strangeness causes all sorts of internal agitation, an uneasiness about humanity’s closeness to animality.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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One has simply grown so accustomed to his cruelty that, in an episode with so many other people acting on their worst impulses, Stephen stands out for momentarily acting on a good one.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
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Gray faces 29 charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, and multiple counts of second-degree cruelty to children.—
La'Tasha Givens,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Animalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/animalism. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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