Neanderthal 1 of 2

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as in barbarian
a man with crude manners and habits and outmoded attitudes made the mistake of dining with some Neanderthal who repeatedly mistook his shirtsleeve for a napkin

Synonyms & Similar Words

Neanderthal

2 of 2

adjective

variants or Neandertal

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of Neanderthal
Noun
Details in the new research suggest that Neanderthals may have been unexpectedly sophisticated in their approach to nutrition, too. Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 4 July 2025 These discoveries have prompted scientists to consider whether Neanderthals have been wrongly underestimated. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 30 June 2025 What If Neanderthals Lived with Humans? Unlike humans, who are experts in optimization and always looking for ways to further perfect our efficiency, Neanderthals weren’t capable of the same imagination. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 28 June 2025 Along with the bone tools, jewelry, and even rope that archaeologists have found at other Neanderthal sites, the projectile is one more clue pointing to the fact that Neanderthals were actually pretty sharp. ArsTechnica, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for Neanderthal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Neanderthal
Noun
  • Remember: Without the stunning moment when the boat kisses that frozen hulk, this Best Picture winner is just another Romeo and Juliet knockoff.
    EW Staff Published, EW.com, 3 July 2025
  • Like the ghostly hulk of the Titanic below the surface of the sea, Northbrook Court is a quiet and cavernous relic — at the bottom of the retail food chain.
    David Petitti, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Once, some 2,000 years ago, so many such personages (then known as barbarians) came to Paris simultaneously that the city was destroyed.
    Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
  • This new Leo is poised to save America’s democracy from American barbarians within, seeking to destroy centuries of democratic compromise toward a more perfect union.
    Emmett Coyne, The Hill, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Most commenters support the original poster, writing that the aunt and uncle are the rude people in this situation.
    Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 10 July 2025
  • Stand up to anyone who bullies you, and call people out who are rude or behaving badly.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • In a flat city where all private and public property is organized into rectangles and triangles aligned with the principal points of the compass, Lincoln Yards is defined by a series of wedges, lumps and lobes that don’t adjoin with the rest of the Chicago street map.
    F.K. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
  • Everyday Comfort smoothing panty for a completely smooth silhouette without any bumps or lumps.
    Jené Luciani Sena may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • One way the department is minimizing conflict is by having range riders present for animals in open range.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 23 July 2025
  • Key takeaways: What type of animal is the Mirasaura?
    Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2025
Adjective
  • As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.
    Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 27 Dec. 2022
  • The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2022
Noun
  • More Mark Taylor/Getty Images Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer has predicted that New York will be the biggest losers when the trade deadline is complete.
    Andrew Wright, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
  • Order backlogs were a defining factor between winners and losers.
    Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 18 July 2025
Noun
  • Here are some surprising ways to stay safe What is the 'caveman method'?
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 6 July 2025
  • The latest social media skincare trend that everyone is talking about is the caveman method.
    Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Neanderthal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Neanderthal. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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