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
The fully functional beast measures 183 inches long, 111 inches wide, and 60 inches tall, according to The Drive.
—
Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2024
Originally, the creature was thought to have come from the old pre-Christian myths involving beasts from the forest and creatures such as satyrs, Krampus became linked with St Nicholas in the Middle Ages, the site said.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 4 Dec. 2024
Being transparent with you guys doesn’t necessarily help or accelerate the growth process, and that’s my agenda, not necessarily feeding the beast.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2024
But no one can yet establish that either warming or hunting alone killed off the beasts.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 4 Dec. 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.
Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2024
Originally, the creature was thought to have come from the old pre-Christian myths involving beasts from the forest and creatures such as satyrs, Krampus became linked with St Nicholas in the Middle Ages, the site said.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 4 Dec. 2024
Being transparent with you guys doesn’t necessarily help or accelerate the growth process, and that’s my agenda, not necessarily feeding the beast.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2024
But no one can yet establish that either warming or hunting alone killed off the beasts.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 4 Dec. 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 17 Dec. 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