What does "beast" mean?
An animal, especially a large or dangerous land vertebrate.
Beast
adj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, name, noun, verb, slang ·1 syllable ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An animal, especially a large or dangerous land vertebrate.
- Grammar: beast is listed as adj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: animal, brute, creature, animal.
- Useful contrasts: amateur, angel, beginner.
- Usage evidence: A bear is a friendly beast compared to a tiger.
How to use "beast"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "beast" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "beast" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "beast" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "beast" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "beast" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "animal" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "beast", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An animal, especially a large or dangerous land vertebrate.
"Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat."
- 2 a living organism characterized by voluntary movement wordnet
- 3 An animal, especially a large or dangerous land vertebrate.; A domestic animal, especially a bovine farm animal.
"[…] it always had the making of a fine beast about it, but up to the time I had it up here in a stall by itself it did not get the chance to make any headway [ie, fatten], all its mates were down on it and it never seemed to fill itself. […] A big framed beast takes a lot of food — expensive food at that [—] to keep it doing […]"
- 4 a cruelly rapacious person wordnet
- 5 An animal, especially a large or dangerous land vertebrate.; All non-human animals seen as a group. collective, often
"Language is what separates man and beast."
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 An animal, especially a large or dangerous land vertebrate.; A monstrously unusual and dangerous animal.
- 7 A person who behaves in a violent, antisocial or uncivilized manner.
- 8 Anything regarded as larger or more powerful than one of its normal size or strength. slang
"That is a beast of a stadium."
- 9 Someone who is particularly impressive, especially athletically or physically. slang
- 10 A sex offender. derogatory, slang
"Shouts had been heard: 'We're coming to kill you, beasts.' In desperation, Rule 43s had tried to barricade their doors[…]"
- 11 Something unpleasant and difficult. figuratively
"[…] Even unopposed, the natural obstacles are formidable, and defending his line of advance will be a beast of a problem.""
- 12 A thing or matter, especially a difficult or unruly one.
"Now, the nucleus of a heavy element is a very peculiar beast."
Verb
- 1 To impose arduous exercises, either as training or as punishment. British
- 2 To engage in sexual intercourse with, particularly in an illicit context. Scotland, slang, transitive
"That teacher is under investigation for beasting wee 'uns."
Adjective
- 1 great; excellent; powerful slang
"There is another type from Siemens which is the HYB 39S64XXX(AT/ATL) -8B version (notice the "B" and the end) which is totally beast altogether."
Proper Noun
- 1 A figure in the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse), often identified with Satan or the Antichrist.
"The Number of the Beast Is 666 (13:16-18) John's vision concludes with the notorious reference to the "mark of the beast" and the number 666."
- 2 Acronym of Browser Exploit Against SSL/TLS. Internet, abbreviation, acronym, alt-of
- 3 A wild, or seemingly-wild, animal that roams free in a country where it is usually only found in zoos.
"the Beast of Bodmin Moor"
- 4 A cadet's basic training at West Point. US, slang
"Plebes spend their first summer at Cadet Basic Training — Beast Barracks — where they get soldierized."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"A bear is a friendly beast compared to a tiger."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "beast"?
Common synonyms include: animal, brute, creature, animal, animal kingdom member, animalia members.
How do you use "beast" in a sentence?
A bear is a friendly beast compared to a tiger.
Etymology
From Middle English beeste, beste, from Old French beste (French bête), from Latin bēstia (“animal, beast”); many cognates – see bēstia.