1
as in addictions
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
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2
as in devils
an appealingly mischievous person
come back here, you little monkey!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of monkeys
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Jan. 2026
And such behavior is not limited to monkeys.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
On Monday, the Prairie Village City Council voted to adopt a conditional license for Oakley Reign — a spider monkey that’s recently been ushered into the spotlight as the northeast Johnson County city considered changing its definition of dangerous wild animals to include all monkeys.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 6 Jan. 2026
The price of lab monkeys in China surged to a five-year high, delaying some drug trials, as the country’s biotech boom runs into resource constraints.
—Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026
From toucans and monkeys to manatees, dolphins, rays, and more, the wildlife in Belize is certain to keep the entire family entertained.
—Patricia Johnson, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2025
Experiments on monkeys are credited with major medical advancements leading to the creation of Tylenol, the COVID-19 vaccine and Ozempic, among other things.
—Madeleine May, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
Claire, age 7 What do monkeys sing at Christmas?
—Fiona Tapp, Parents, 23 Dec. 2025
The monkeys came from the Tulane National Primate Research Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, which gives primates to scientific research organizations.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
Or similarly, users pointing out that the Ratliff children, when seated three abreast, resemble the three wise monkeys of see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for monkeys
Noun
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Their own addictions to meth persisted for years, outlasting the lives of both their father and grandfather.—
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Some assume that addictions or mental health struggles lead to people being on the streets, says Randal Hitt, the vice president of unsheltered services at Roof Above.—
Noun
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And then there are the infernal workers who make sure that Lucifer’s realm runs smoothly, among them farting devils, giants in chains, and a flying monster with the body of a serpent and the face of an honest man.—
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In odd years, the company produces the story of a group of pastores making a perilous trek to Bethlehem to pay their respects to the Holy Manger while fighting devils and their powerful leader Luzbel.—
Verb
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More importantly, this origin story of a movie and a movement apes the joie de moviemaking and the jazzy looseness of the original to an absolutely amazing degree, replicating an off-the-cuff feeling that’s more than a second-hand buzz.—
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There are high columns crawling with ivy, nearly 12 acres of rolling lawns, teensy windows with teensy shutters, and a diminutive pool house that apes a fairy-tale cottage.—
Verb
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Spoofing happens when a scammer copies someone’s social media profile, such as their name, photos and other details, to create a fake account that looks real.—
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Think about Nobu — everybody copies their rolls.—
Noun
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In a time when unemployment is on the rise and the rich are running amok and wreaking havoc on the poor — and the social services in place to support them — who doesn’t love the idea of rogue rascals sticking it to a bougie institution by running off with its crown jewels?—
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The former child actors have grown up since their go-kart derby days on-screen — some have even welcomed their own little rascals off-screen.—
Verb
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Newsom has been trying to raise his national profile, adopting a combative style that parodies Trump’s social media strategy with similar all-caps posts, memes and merchandise.—
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In another nod to Scream, Cheri Oteri parodies Courteney Cox’s Gale Weathers as the comically unethical news anchor Gail Hailstorm.—
Cite this Entry
“Monkeys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/monkeys. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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