beast

American  

[beest] / bist /

noun

• beasts
  plural

1. any nonhuman animal, especially a large, four-footed mammal.

2. the crude animal nature common to humans and the lower animals.

   Hunger brought out the beast in him.

3. a cruel, coarse, filthy, or otherwise beastlike person.

   Synonyms:

   barbarian, monster, ogre, savage, brute, pig, swine, cad

4. a live creature, as distinguished from a plant.

   What manner of beast is this?

5. the beast, the Antichrist.

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beast British  

/ biːst /

noun

1. any animal other than man, esp a large wild quadruped

2. savage nature or characteristics

   the beast in man

3. a brutal, uncivilized, or filthy person

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verb

1. slang:military (tr) to punish or torture (someone) in a manner that involves excessive physical exercise

Usage

What does beast mean? The word beast refers to an animal, especially a big, four-legged mammal. This sense of the word is used in a neutral way to refer to certain members of the animal kingdom, often to distinguish large beasts from smaller creatures, such as birds. This is how the word is used in the phrase beast of burden, referring to an animal that pulls heavy equipment, such as an ox. Similarly, a mammal that hunts other animals can be called a beast of prey. The word creature is often used in a similar way, but beast typically implies a big animal, whereas creature can refer to even very small ones. Another common meaning of the word beast refers to fictional creatures, especially ones that are considered monsters, as in I had a dream I was being chased by a terrible beast. This is how the word is used in the title of the story Beauty and the Beast. Creature can also be used as a synonym for this sense of the word, but it’s more neutral—a fictional being referred to as a creature may be friendly. By contrast, using the word beast often implies that it is monstrous or dangerous in some way—or is at least thought to be. Beast is sometimes used in a figurative way to refer to a cruel and uncivilized nature of a person, as in Desperation brings out the beast in some people. Another figurative use of the word refers to a situation that is going to create trouble or be difficult to deal with, as in The comprehensive final exam is going to be a beast. The word beast is sometimes used to refer to humans in both very negative and very positive ways. Calling a person a beast in a negative way likens them to a monster and implies that they behave in a crude, brutish, or animalistic way. This use of beast can be especially offensive, especially due to likening a person to an animal. The adjective beastly means monstrous, nasty, vile, or cruel. A more recent slang sense of beast is completely positive. Calling someone a beast in this way means they are extremely strong, skilled, or dominant in some activity, such as a sport, as in Tara is a beast on the volleyball court. This sense of the word is used in the slang term beast mode, which refers to an increased (and often temporary) state of exceptionally high performance. Example: I love monster movies—the bigger and more grotesque the beast, the better.

Synonym Usage

See animal.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• beastlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• beasts
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of beast

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English be(e)ste, from Old French beste ( French bête ), from Latin bēstia

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Explanation

A beast is an animal — and usually not a gentle or attractive one. You can also call a person a beast when they're behaving in a crude, savage, or horrible way. There are many types of beast in the world: dogs, cats, horses, monkeys, birds, and fish are all beasts. Even tiny critters like bugs are beasts. A beast is basically any living thing, except for plants, because plants can't intentionally move. People can be called beasts too when they behave in a beastly way. A criminal is likely to be called a beast. So is a rude person. Anyone acting in an uncivilized or cruel way is being a beast.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

beast beasts

With 19 policymakers, it is difficult to make progress given diverse individual perspectives, strongly held views and the challenge of reforming such a complicated beast.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

When the leathery beast slunk off, singer James Hetfield dedicated the track to the band’s founding bassist, who died in a tour bus crash in 1986.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

Shannon also holds special events at her book shop, celebrating the release of Gruffalo Granny by Julia Donaldson, with a special visit from the beast himself.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

And so, on a late morning in late August, I buzzed the seventh floor and rode the elevator straight into the belly of the beast.

From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026

Can you imagine a beast so mean, unstable, and stinky that even pirates had kicked him off their ship?

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

There are green-skinned beasts and monosyllabic men with impossibly tall blond hair.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Industry big beasts Christian Dior and Saint Laurent will send their models out on Tuesday.

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

While medieval Iberia and pre-Columbian Mexico were radically different places, the imagination that birthed these beasts reveals shared interests that transcended time, place and culture.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Neill’s penchant for the weird and abstract allowed him to use his unique features and distinct, gravelly voice to create characters who were as devilishly memorable as the beasts they went up against.

From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026

He had found the beasts swaying anxiously in the green grass that still surrounded the muddy drinking pool.

From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda

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Related Words

• brute
• cad
• ogre
• ogress

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