1
a
: a four-footed mammal as distinguished from a human being, a lower vertebrate, and an invertebrate
b
: a lower animal as distinguished from a human being
c
: an animal as distinguished from a plant
d
: an animal under human control
2
: a contemptible person
3
: something formidably difficult to control or deal with
Synonyms
Examples of beast in a Sentence
dogs and other four-footed beasts
the birds and beasts of the forest
They were attacked by a savage beast.
He's a cruel, hateful beast!
Recent Examples on the Web
Most in Becker's comment section agree—modern beauty standards are a beast, and social media is feeding it, but some voices are growing more powerful in their dissent.
—
Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Intending to shoot a documentary, Patrick heads into the belly of the beast.
—Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
In the movie, the pair are tasked with capturing a menacing beast who’s been eating the veggies from everyone’s gardens.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 26 Oct. 2024
The Charles Mill Monster, found in Charles Mill Lake in Mansfield, is another lake-dwelling beast said to call Ohio home.
—Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for beast 
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.
Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Intending to shoot a documentary, Patrick heads into the belly of the beast.
—Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
In the movie, the pair are tasked with capturing a menacing beast who’s been eating the veggies from everyone’s gardens.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 26 Oct. 2024
The Charles Mill Monster, found in Charles Mill Lake in Mansfield, is another lake-dwelling beast said to call Ohio home.
—Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for beast
Dictionary Entries Near beast
Cite this Entry
“Beast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beast. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
beast
noun1
a
: a four-footed mammal as distinguished from human beings and from lower animals both with and without backbones
b
: a farm animal especially when kept for heavy work
2
: a mean or brutal person
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share