beast

beast — noun

1. an animal, usually one seen as large, dangerous, or living in the wild

1.nounB2
Definition

an animal, usually one seen as large, dangerous, or living in the wild

Example

At dawn, a wounded beast came out of the trees.

dramatic use for a wild animal

The farmer heard a heavy beast moving behind the stone wall.

Common collocations
  • wild beast
  • wounded beast
  • dangerous beast
  • caged beast
Synonyms
  • animal

    the neutral everyday word

  • creature

    broader and sometimes softer or more literary

  • brute

    stresses strength and can sound more forceful

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

wild beast

a wounded beast

a caged beast

Usage Note

Usually sounds stronger and less neutral than animal. It is common in stories, hunting, and dramatic description, rather than for ordinary pets or farm animals.

Common Mistakes

My sister has a cute beast at home.
My sister has a cute pet at home.
beast usually suggests a wild, dangerous, or rough animal, not a friendly pet.

2. a person who behaves in a very cruel, rough, or nasty way

2.nounC1
Definition

a person who behaves in a very cruel, rough, or nasty way

Example

Everyone called the prison guard a beast after the beatings.

pattern: call somebody a beast

Pia was a beast to his little brother all summer.

be a beast to somebody

Common collocations
  • call someone a beast
  • be a beast to children
  • act like a beast
  • heartless beast
Synonyms
  • monster

    even stronger and more emotional

  • brute

    stresses rough or violent behaviour

  • bully

    focuses on hurting or frightening weaker people

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

call somebody a beast

be a beast to somebody

become a beast

Usage Note

A strong insult, usually used in anger about someone's treatment of other people. Distinguish from sense 3, which is about a difficult thing or situation rather than a person's character.

Common Mistakes

Our math teacher is a beast because she gives long homework.
Our math teacher is strict because she gives a lot of homework.
beast is much harsher and suggests cruelty, not simply being demanding.

3. a thing or situation that is very unpleasant or extremely hard to control, finis

3.nounC1
Definition

a thing or situation that is very unpleasant or extremely hard to control, finish, or understand

Example

This tax form is a beast if you run your own shop.

informal use for a hard task

Getting the old engine started in winter was a beast.

Common collocations
  • real beast
  • beast of a job
  • beast to fix
  • beast to deal with
Synonyms
  • nightmare

    stresses how unpleasant or frustrating something is

  • headache

    suggests a problem that keeps causing trouble

  • monster

    can also describe something unusually difficult or large

Antonyms
  • breeze

    informal for something very easy to do

Grammar Patterns

be a beast

a beast of a job

beast to deal with

Usage Note

Informal. Often used about jobs, machines, forms, journeys, or other things that seem to fight back in some way. Distinguish from sense 2, which is an insult for a person.

Common Mistakes

The new sofa is a beast in the living room.
The new sofa is huge in the living room.
this sense suggests something hard to manage or unpleasant, not simply large.

Word family

  • beastly
    adjectiveC2
  • bestial
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For sense 1, animal is the plain and neutral word, and it fits pets, farm animals, and wild ones. Beast is stronger and more dramatic. It often suggests size, danger, or a frightening image, so it is common in stories and emotional description. Creature is broader and can sound softer, more scientific, or more literary. Brute is also stronger than animal, but it puts more weight on strength and can easily move toward the insulting sense for a person. You might call a deer an animal, describe an attacking boar as a beast, mention an unknown sea creature in a report, and warn hikers about a wounded brute near the path.

beast ↗animal ↗creature ↗brute

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Beast came into English from Old French beste, from Latin bestia, both meaning an animal. English later stretched the word from a literal animal to an insult for a cruel person and, in informal use, to a thing that is hard to deal with.