beast

noun

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

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
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.
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 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English beste, from Anglo-French, from Latin bestia

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of beast was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near beast

Cite this Entry

“Beast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beast. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

beast

noun
1
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

More from Merriam-Webster on beast

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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