monster

American  

[mon-ster] / ˈmɒn stər /

noun

• monsters
  plural

1. a nonhuman creature so ugly or monstrous as to frighten people.

2. any creature grotesquely deviating from the normal shape, behavior, or character.

3. a person who provokes or elicits horror by wickedness, cruelty, etc.

   Synonyms:

   miscreant, devil, demon, brute, fiend

4. any animal or thing huge in size.

5. a legendary animal combining features of animal and human form or having the forms of various animals in combination, as a centaur, griffin, or sphinx.

6. Biology.

   1. an animal or plant of abnormal form or structure, as from marked malformation or the absence of certain parts or organs.

   2. a grossly anomalous fetus or infant, especially one that is not viable.

7. anything unnatural or monstrous.

---

adjective

1. huge; enormous; monstrous.

   a monster tree.

monster British  

/ ˈmɒnstə /

noun

1. an imaginary beast, such as a centaur, usually made up of various animal or human parts

2. a person, animal, or plant with a marked structural deformity

3. a cruel, wicked, or inhuman person

4. 1. a very large person, animal, or thing

   2. ( as modifier )

      a monster cake

---

verb

1. informal to criticize (a person or group) severely

2. sport to use intimidating tactics against (an opponent)

monster Idioms  

1. see green-eyed monster.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• monsterlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• monsters
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of monster

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English monstre, from Latin mōnstrum “portent, unnatural event, monster,” from mon(ēre) “to warn” + -strum, noun suffix

---

Explanation

Monsters are imaginary scary creatures that lurk in dark places and horror movies. If it's got 3 heads, shark teeth and lives under your bed, then it's probably a monster. Monsters are big. Monsters are hairy. And monsters are certainly scary. Think of the Abominable Snow Man, that Loch Ness creature, or even Shrek — even though he's technically an ogre. This word isn't only for the imaginary, though: you could call anything freakish, frightening, or particularly evil a monster, like a cruel murderer or even a really big, violent storm.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

monster monsters

Frankenstein and his monster were dreamed up by an Englishwoman, Mary Shelley.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

The masked monster is transformed into a uber Jason with a new metallic body and mask.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

He experiences strange visions: of a sea monster, of a “great white bird,” even of Cora herself.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

"He has created a monster he either can't or won't control," was how one Green figure put it to me - this person one among many left furious at what has happened.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

However, the Minotaur was a bloodthirsty monster that was half man, half bull, not a mild-mannered Hereford cow with droopy ears and a bell tied ’round its neck.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

The fictional characters of the Maasverse return this week with “A Court of Splintered Harmony,” the sixth book in the blockbuster series that has unspooled labyrinthine tales of pointy-eared faeries and bloodthirsty monsters since 2015.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

These particular characters may be monsters, but this is a very human trait, too, Silva said: We get stuck in the roles we think we should be playing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

Vieira said feeling scared about monsters is a "fun escape" from the stresses of her everyday life as an A&E doctor.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Naftali Bennett, a former prime minister who has denounced Netanyahu for not preventing the attack, joined mourners at Nova to remember the attack by the "monsters" three years ago.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

“Well, fool magic runs in my family, and my father used it to defeat a bunch of monsters and marry a princess.”

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• behemoth
• freak
• giant
• whale

---