Illustration of wildebeest
wildebeest
noun
wil·de·beest
ˈwil-də-ˌbēst 
plural wildebeests also wildebeest
: either of two large African antelopes (Connochaetes gnou and C. taurinus) with a head like that of an ox, short mane, long tail, and horns in both sexes that curve downward and outward
called also gnu
Examples of wildebeest in a Sentence
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If the narwhal tusk, a tightly spiraling tooth than can grow up to nine feet in length, was not in fact from a unicorn, then perhaps the horn of the southern African wildebeest or gnu was what the ancients meant by a unicorn—never mind that these are actually two-horned.
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Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 5 Apr. 2025
Some previous studies have indeed shown that cattle can compete for grass with wild herbivores such as wildebeests, impalas, Thomson’s gazelles, zebras, buffalo, and giraffes.
—Bygeoffrey Kamadi, science.org, 10 Sep. 2024
Lilliputian lions, whose wildebeests are passing butterflies.
—Jessica Camille Aguirre, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Jan. 2025
While animals are certainly the main attraction during a visit—the Makgadikgadi Pans feature one of the earth’s largest zebra and wildebeest migrations during green season—there’s far more to do during a stay than just embark on game drives.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
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Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 5 Apr. 2025
Some previous studies have indeed shown that cattle can compete for grass with wild herbivores such as wildebeests, impalas, Thomson’s gazelles, zebras, buffalo, and giraffes.
—Bygeoffrey Kamadi, science.org, 10 Sep. 2024
Lilliputian lions, whose wildebeests are passing butterflies.
—Jessica Camille Aguirre, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Jan. 2025
While animals are certainly the main attraction during a visit—the Makgadikgadi Pans feature one of the earth’s largest zebra and wildebeest migrations during green season—there’s far more to do during a stay than just embark on game drives.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for wildebeest
Cite this Entry
“Wildebeest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wildebeest. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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wildebeest
noun
wil·de·beest
ˈwil-də-ˌbēst
plural wildebeest also wildebeest
: either of two large African antelopes with a head like that of an ox, a short mane, a long tail, and horns that curve downward and outward
called also gnu
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