monkey 1 of 2

noun

ˈməŋ-kē How to pronounce monkey (audio)
Definition of monkeynext
1
as in addiction
a physiological need for certain drugs I've got this monkey on my back, and going to detox is the only way to get it off

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in devil
an appealingly mischievous person come back here, you little monkey!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

monkey

2 of 2

verb

as in to ape

Related Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of monkey
Noun
Here, in the heart of an expansive park filled with birds and monkeys, is a refuge from the frenzy of this teeming metropolis. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 The movie is a monkey’s paw-style tale of a down-on-his-luck young man, who uses a magical wish device to make his crush like him back. — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
With supply running low toward the end of most evenings, savvy bun fanatics don’t monkey around, routinely calling ahead to request an extra skillet of rolls set aside just for them. — Valerie Demicheva and Flora Chang, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 July 2021 But this experiment isn't about monkeying around—this a real security and safety hazard, the researchers point out in a new paper. — Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 31 Jan. 2020 See All Example Sentences for monkey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkey
  1. addiction
  2. devil
  3. ape
  4. dependence
  5. rascal
  6. parody
  7. brat
  8. mimic
Noun
  • Matt Passmore, Emily Rose, Gabriel Nagy and Hudson Macready star in the film, which tells the true story of a family confronting addiction and loss while finding its way back to one another.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Haidt argues that social media disrupts kids’ social and neurological development, contributing to rising anxiety and depression through sleep loss, fragmented attention, addiction, loneliness, social comparison and perfectionism.
    — Ari Lightman, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of addiction
Noun
  • In Jennifer’s Body, Needy (Seyfried) is BFFs with the titular mean girl played by Fox, whose body becomes possessed by a succubus with a taste for teen boys after a botched sacrifice by a devil-worshipping boy band (led by Adam Brody).
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Behave yourself, buddy, or the little red devil will take you away!
    — Sanat Pai Raikar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of devil
Verb
  • Critics and fanboy media thrashed Supergirl not just for its Guardians of the Galaxy touchstones, but also for aping Mad Max.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 29 June 2026
  • The track apes the softly anthemic approach of U2, Coldplay, and the National—until all of that elegant uplift topples like an overly ambitious wedding cake.
    — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026
Definition of ape
Noun
  • Compact optical clocks could eventually contribute to such systems by providing stable timing references onboard vehicles, reducing dependence on external signals.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • At Thursday’s Calgary rally and Friday’s Edmonton rally, the crowd erupted in its loudest applause when Carney spoke about reducing Canada’s economic dependence on the United States.
    — Rob Gillies, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of dependence
Noun
  • An alligator with a sense of humor knocked on a North Carolina woman’s front door in the middle of the night, and the rascal got a rather rude response.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Even though the Feeneys have gotten more competitive under the junior Michel’s management, the rascal-on-the-field ethos of the original team still prevails.
    — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
Definition of rascal
Verb
  • The couple was so famous that they were often parodied by TV comedians for their lavish lifestyle and Tammy Faye’s abundant makeup.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The couple was so famous that they were often parodied by TV comedians for their lavish lifestyle and Tammy Faye's abundant makeup.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of parody
Noun
  • Before globetrotting for work, she was raised as the altruistic equivalent of an army brat.
    — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Sure, there will be stein-hoisting and brat-tossing competitions.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of brat
Verb
  • Then the weave pattern is very specifically chosen over the course of a year, basically, to be able to mimic a real facial expression.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The device, known as a neuristor, mimics certain electrical switching behaviors of biological neurons.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of mimic

Phrases Containing monkey

Browse Nearby Words

monk
monkey
monkey (around)
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Cite this Entry

“Monkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkey. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on monkey

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about monkey

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