What does "monster" mean?
A terrifying and dangerous creature, especially one of an imaginary or mythical kind.
Monster
/ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)/ adj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A terrifying and dangerous creature, especially one of an imaginary or mythical kind.
- Grammar: monster is listed as adj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: behemoth, colossus, fiend, giant.
- Useful contrasts: angel, cherub, cherubs.
- Usage evidence: A hideous monster used to live there.
How to use "monster"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "monster" 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 "monster" 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 "monster" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "monster" 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 "monster" 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 "behemoth" 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 "monster", 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 A terrifying and dangerous creature, especially one of an imaginary or mythical kind.
"O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear,/ to make an earthquake."
- 2 (medicine) a grossly malformed and usually nonviable fetus wordnet
- 3 A bizarre or whimsical creature.
"The children decided Grover was a cuddly monster."
- 4 an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts wordnet
- 5 A cruel, heartless, or antisocial person, especially a criminal.
"Get away from those children, you monster!"
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 a person or animal that is markedly unusual or deformed wordnet
- 7 A deformed animal or person (especially, a severely deformed one); in previous centuries often taken as an ill omen at the time of its birth. (Offensive when applied to humans in modern usage.) archaic
"The villagers were worried because the weather had been strange and several monsters had been born among the flocks and people."
- 8 someone that is abnormally large and powerful wordnet
- 9 A badly behaved person, especially a child; a brat. figuratively, humorous
"Sit still, you little monster!"
- 10 a cruel wicked and inhuman person wordnet
- 11 Something very or unusually large. informal
"Have you seen those powerlifters on TV? They're monsters."
- 12 A prodigy; someone very talented in a specific domain. informal
"That dude playing guitar is a monster."
- 13 A non-player character that player(s) fight against in role-playing games; a mob
- 14 A disabled person. offensive
Verb
- 1 To make into a monster; to categorise as a monster; to demonise. transitive
"Animals in our world have been monstered by human action as much as the free beasts of the pre-lapsarian state were monstered by the primal crime."
- 2 To behave as a monster to; to terrorise. intransitive
"In 2002, American interrogators on the ground in Afghanistan developed a technique they called “monstering.” The commander “instituted a new rule that a prisoner could be kept awake and in the booth for as long as an interrogator could last.” One “monstering” interrogator engaged in this for thirty hours.¹⁷⁷"
- 3 To harass. Australia
"Andy Roddick has been monstered by both Federer and Nadal and suffered a 6-2 7-5 7-5 semi-final loss at the hands of the Swiss champion."
- 4 To play (a series of) non-player characters as directed, without having the responsibility of organising the game itself; generally not limited to playing literal monsters or hostile combatants. UK
"Are you monstering that event?"
- 5 To condemn or reprimand. British, informal, transitive
Adjective
- 1 Very large; worthy of a monster. informal, not-comparable
"He has a monster appetite."
- 2 Great; very good; excellent. informal, not-comparable
"“You did great today,” I told Josh. “You were monster.” “yeah,” he said. “I was monster. Thank you, Charlie.”"
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
"And in both cases, a man named Rob Monster – an outspoken born-again Christian and the CEO of a tech company called Epik – made pointed restorations, republishing much of the New Zealand content and putting Gab back online. All in the name, he said, of free speech."
Example
"A hideous monster used to live there."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "monster"?
Common synonyms include: behemoth, colossus, fiend, giant, abortion, abysmal.
How do you use "monster" in a sentence?
A hideous monster used to live there.
How do you pronounce "monster"?
Pronounced /ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
From Middle English monstre, from Old French monstre, mostre, moustre, from Latin mōnstrum.