Skip to content
ontologydriven
Sign out

Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

monster en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • mŏn'stə (US) r
  • /ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈmɑnstɚ/ (US)
  • (Australia) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *men- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *monéyeti Proto-Italic *man-eje- Proto-Italic *moneō Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-trom Proto-Italic *-trom Proto-Italic *monestrom Latin mōnstrumbor. Old French monstrebor. Middle English monstre English monster From Middle English monstre, from Old French monstre, mostre, moustre, from Latin mōnstrum. Displaced native Old English fīfel and Old English þyrs.

Meanings

  1. (informal, not-comparable) Very large; worthy of a monster.
    • How do you get more monster than a monster truck? You build a monster tank. 2009, Michael O'Hearn, The Kids' Guide to Monster Trucks:
    • He has a monster appetite.
    • I turned to Jack and said, "It's supposed to be monster." 2004, Rex Pickett, Sideways, page 55:
  2. (informal, not-comparable) Great; very good; excellent.
    • Seconds later Nano’s monster throw-in from the left was recycled to the wing-back and, when he produced the most delicious of deliveries, the totally unmarked Lopes drilled home from six yards. 2024 August 29, Alex Mills, “Larne headed for Conference League group stages as Andy Ryan hat-trick secures historic Play-Off joy”, in Belfast Telegraph:
    • “You did great today,” I told Josh. “You were monster.” “yeah,” he said. “I was monster. Thank you, Charlie.” 2010, Andrew Klavan, The Long Way Home, page 231:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
monstre alternative, obsolete lexicographic

Synonyms

gigantic · monstrous

Translations (10)

pl monstrualny (very large) · sv jätte- (very large) · fi hirveä (very large) · ca monstruós (very large) · nl monstrueus (very large) · fi valtava (very large) · el τέρας (very large) · ru чудо́вищный (very large) · fr monstrueux (very large) · nl monsterachtig (very large)

monster en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • mŏn'stə (US) r
  • /ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈmɑnstɚ/ (US)
  • (Australia) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *men- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *monéyeti Proto-Italic *man-eje- Proto-Italic *moneō Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-trom Proto-Italic *-trom Proto-Italic *monestrom Latin mōnstrumbor. Old French monstrebor. Middle English monstre English monster From Middle English monstre, from Old French monstre, mostre, moustre, from Latin mōnstrum. Displaced native Old English fīfel and Old English þyrs.

Meanings

  1. A terrifying and dangerous creature, especially one of an imaginary or fictional kind.
    • “My flesh was not for feasting on, there would be no monsters gnawing and gloating over their banquet at the bottom of the sea.” 1999, Seamus Heaney, Beowulf, London: Faber and Faber, page 19:
    • His origin amongst monsters and man-eaters signals the play's recurrent concerns with monstrification, with eating others or being eaten by them, and with issues of specularity […] 1995, Bradley William Johnson, Birthed Effects: Shakespeare's Generation of Monsters, page 67:
    • O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear,/ to make an earthquake. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
    • He caught Grendel's right hand, and still without rising from his bed, stopped the monster's onrush. 1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 29:
    • [T]he monſter [sc. a tiger], rouſed by the noiſe, ſtarted forward, preſented ſuch a viſage of horror, and raiſed ſuch a hideous roar, that the hearts of the bold were contracted, and the nerves of the valiant unſtrung. 1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page 6:
  2. A terrifying and dangerous creature, especially one of an imaginary or fictional kind. ▸ A cruel, heartless, or antisocial person, especially a criminal.
    • My young children leave their art everywhere. I find most of it on the floor. […] Eventually, I started throwing it all away. Perhaps I am a monster. 2018 September 16, Mary Townsend, “Throw Your Children’s Art Away”, in The Atlantic, retrieved 19 Dec 2022:
    • "Because of this monster, Jayme won't have her mom and dad at her dance recitals," Mike Closs, Jayme's uncle, said in court. Closs' aunt Jennifer Smith said the family was satisfied with the sentence and knew it would give Jayme peace. 2019 May 24, Joey Peters, “'Embodiment of evil': Jayme Closs kidnapper sentenced to die in prison”, in The Guardian:
    • Get away from those children, you monster!
    • So go and tell your friends that I'm a fucking monster / Sugar, spice and torture / Do it for the culture 2023, Ennaria, “Monstarrr”:
    • I'm not a monster, Tom, well, technically I am / I guess I am... 2006, Jonathan Coulton, “Re: Your Brains”, in Thing a Week Two:
  3. (figuratively, humorous) A terrifying and dangerous creature, especially one of an imaginary or fictional kind. ▸ A badly behaved person, especially a child; a brat.
    • The rest of the day he heard the children playing kick-the-can, hide-and-seek, Over-Annie-Over, jacks, tops, mibs, and the sound of the little monsters in every shrub and shadow would not let him rest.
    • Sit still, you little monster!
  4. (informal) A terrifying and dangerous creature, especially one of an imaginary or fictional kind. ▸ A prodigy; someone very talented in a specific domain.
    • That dude playing guitar is a monster.
    • He was a party monster. Able to drink and drug just about any member of the Fleetwood Mac family under the table, he did so with regularity and charm. 2009, Carol Ann Harris, Storms: My Life with Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac, page 216:
  5. (informal) A creature of unnatural or highly unusual shape or form (which makes a frightening or unpleasant impression). ▸ Something very or unusually large.
    • Although she, for many years had waged continual war against rheumatism, her pleasant face shone like the full moon from under the white head-gear, while she had protected herself against any possible attack of the enemy by a multiplicity of petticoats and jackets; and as an outer fortification she had put on a monster of a frieze cloak. 1886, Peter Christen Asbjø￵rnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 250:
    • The blacks had faded into the jungle before the weak eyes of the monster had fallen upon any of them, but now he caught the sound of their retreat, and, amid a terrific crashing of underbrush and branches, he charged in the direction of the noise. 1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 132:
    • Have you seen those powerlifters on TV? They're monsters.
    • Ashley: Look at the size of that ship! Kaidan: The Ascension. Flagship of the Citadel fleet. Joker: Well, size isn't everything. Ashley: Why so touchy, Joker? Joker: I'm just saying you need firepower, too. Ashley: Look at that monster! It's main gun could rip through the barriers on any ship in the Alliance fleet. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Bridge, Command Deck, SSV Normandy:
  6. (archaic) A creature of unnatural or highly unusual shape or form (which makes a frightening or unpleasant impression). ▸ 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.)
    • Deducting then these cases, we have a large proportion of imperfect foetuses, which belonged to twin conceptions, and in which, therefore, the circulation of the monster may have essentially depended on that of the sound child. 1837, Medico-Chirurgical Review, page 465:
    • Cases of twins developed from one ovum, where one twin flourishes at the expense of its less fortunate partner, are not by any means uncommonly met with in veterinary practice. This is evidenced by the fairly frequent descriptions in veterinary periodicals of so-called "moles." It is not, therefore, with the idea of describing any monster of startling newness that I am tempted to record the anatomical peculiarities of one such anomaly; but rather because "moles," as described most commonly in veterinary journals, are viewed from the exterior only; their inner organisation being, for the most part, either ignored entirely, or treated of in a very cavalier manner. No doubt the external form and semblance of any monster is a matter of interest, but alone it is not satisfying; nor, indeed, is it always a trustworthy indication of the most important peculiarities of the organism. The outer architecture of a monster may be entirely misleading if taken too implicitly as a reflex of the internal furnishings. Especially is this the more likely to be the case when the malformation is great. 1900 April 14, O. Charnock Bradley, “An Acardiac Monster”, in The Veterinary Journal [British Veterinary Journal], volume 1 (New Series), number 16, pages 207–208:
    • "Periodically, storms would bring the creeping death to the valley - drifting clouds of radio-active dust - and men would sicken and die and women give birth to monsters." 1957, Sydney J. Bounds, The Robot Brains, London: Digit Books, page 153:
    • The villagers were worried because the weather had been strange and several monsters had been born among the flocks and people.
  7. (archaic, offensive) A creature of unnatural or highly unusual shape or form (which makes a frightening or unpleasant impression). ▸ 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.) ▸ A disabled person, especially a physically disabled person.
  8. A bizarre or whimsical creature.
    • The children decided Grover was a cuddly monster.
  9. A non-player character that player(s) fight against in role-playing games; a mob

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
monsters Number=Plur lexicographic
monstre alternative, obsolete lexicographic

Deriveds

blondster · monstrosity · snow monster · monstriferous · cookie monster · headless chicken monster · monsterization · monsterhood · corporate monster · monsterize · monsterology · monstery · Loch Ness Monster · monstrify · greed monster · sea monster · monsterling · monster-cock · Fischer–Griess Monster · monster tumbleweed · monster group · utility monster · monstercock · monstrification · monster of the week · monsterdom · monster meeting · monsterism · pocket monster · one-eyed monster · bemonster · monster boy · hopeful monster · supermonster · monster hand · monsterkind · monster erotica · monster cock · Monster group · monster under the bed · sea-monster · Monster Mansion · Mother Monster · monster boar · Gila monster · Tully Monster · monster mash · monsterfest · Little Monster · cockmonster · Official Monster Raving Loony Party · flying spaghetti monster · monster girl · Claremonster · monster closet · Frankenstein's monster · shag monster · water monster · monstress · monsterlike · abominable snow monster · Tully monster · monstricide · monsterless · peaty monster · the Loch Ness monster · speckled monster · mass monster · baby monster group · mermonster · little monster · Flying Spaghetti Monster · bug-eyed monster · monstership · monster movie · monsterise · monster truck · monsterly · Cookie Monster · semimonster · monsterlet · monster porn · chest monster · green-eyed monster · monster-in-law · monsterful

Descendants

Monster · 몬스터 · モンスター · มอนสเตอร์ · monsteri

Relateds

monstrous · monstrose · monstrously

Synonyms

beast · beast · beast · monstrosity (in most senses) · beast

Translations (246)

nrf divèrs (terrifying dangerous creature) · ang fīfel (terrifying dangerous creature) · lv šausmonis (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl poczwara (bizarre or whimsical creature) · af monster (something unusually large) · bn দৈত্য (terrifying dangerous creature) · ko 도깨비 (terrifying dangerous creature) · ca monstre (bizarre or whimsical creature) · da monster (terrifying dangerous creature) · th สัตว์ประหลาด (terrifying dangerous creature) · lo ຜີເສື້ອ (terrifying dangerous creature) · bg изверг (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · pl kreatura (terrifying dangerous creature) · th ปิศาจ (terrifying dangerous creature) · la mōnstrum (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru чу́дище (bizarre or whimsical creature) · fa-ira اُعْجوبِه (a prodigy) · ga ainmhí (terrifying dangerous creature) · uk чудо́висько (terrifying dangerous creature) · lv monstrs (terrifying dangerous creature) · lt siaubūnas (terrifying dangerous creature) · ko 몬스터 (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru страши́лище (bizarre or whimsical creature) · sk príšera (terrifying dangerous creature) · sl pošast (terrifying dangerous creature) · fi hirviö (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · pl bestyja (terrifying dangerous creature) · km បារ (terrifying dangerous creature) · nl monstertje (badly behaved child) · pl potwór (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · be пачва́ра (terrifying dangerous creature) · gl monstro (terrifying dangerous creature) · uz maxluq (terrifying dangerous creature) · grc τέρας (terrifying dangerous creature) · tk gorkunç (terrifying dangerous creature) · tr öcü (terrifying dangerous creature) · cjs шебелдей (terrifying dangerous creature) · vi quái vật (terrifying dangerous creature) · it mostro (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · af monster (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · ru ге́ний (a prodigy) · id monster (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru здоровяк (something unusually large) · hy հրեշ (terrifying dangerous creature) · mn мангас (terrifying dangerous creature) · cy angenfilod (terrifying dangerous creature) · gl monstro (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · lt monstras (terrifying dangerous creature) · ga amhailt (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru страши́лище (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl stwór (bizarre or whimsical creature) · ru монстр (terrifying dangerous creature) · sh nȅmān (terrifying dangerous creature) · tg дев (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru гигант (something unusually large) · sv monster (terrifying dangerous creature) · tr dev (terrifying dangerous creature) · yi פֿאַרזעעניש (terrifying dangerous creature) · fa-ira غول (terrifying dangerous creature) · de Monster (terrifying dangerous creature) · ur دیوْ (terrifying dangerous creature) · nn monster (terrifying dangerous creature) · ps دېو (terrifying dangerous creature) · ka მონსტრი (terrifying dangerous creature) · ca monstre (terrifying dangerous creature) · arz وحش (terrifying dangerous creature) · is skrímsli (terrifying dangerous creature) · ja 怪異 (terrifying dangerous creature) · bn দানব (terrifying dangerous creature) · kmr rawir (terrifying dangerous creature) · sh чу̏довӣште (terrifying dangerous creature) · is ófreskja (terrifying dangerous creature) · km វៃយរាពណ៍ (terrifying dangerous creature) · haw tutua (bizarre or whimsical creature) · ln elima (terrifying dangerous creature) · pdt Ontia (terrifying dangerous creature) · lt pabaisa (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru уро́д (bizarre or whimsical creature) · pl dziwadło (bizarre or whimsical creature) · fa-ira هَیولا (terrifying dangerous creature) · ht mons (terrifying dangerous creature) · cmn 妖物 (terrifying dangerous creature) · ga péist (bizarre or whimsical creature) · ja 怪物 (terrifying dangerous creature) · ja 化け物 (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru чудо́вище (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · cs příšera (terrifying dangerous creature) · sh не̏ма̄н (terrifying dangerous creature) · ckb لاور (terrifying dangerous creature) · cmn 怪物 (terrifying dangerous creature) · nl monster (bizarre or whimsical creature) · nb monster (terrifying dangerous creature) · uk монстр (terrifying dangerous creature) · fi hirviö (terrifying dangerous creature) · hi दानव (terrifying dangerous creature) · my နတ်ဆိုး (terrifying dangerous creature) · grc πέλωρον (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl potwór (terrifying dangerous creature) · es monstruo (a prodigy) · pl cudak (a prodigy) · ga ainmhí (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · et monstrum (terrifying dangerous creature) · hu szörny (terrifying dangerous creature) · lt baisūnas (terrifying dangerous creature) · io monstro (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl smarkacz (badly behaved child) · az əjdaha (terrifying dangerous creature) · nl gedrocht (bizarre or whimsical creature) · pl maszkara (terrifying dangerous creature) · my ဧရာမသတ္တဝါကြီး (terrifying dangerous creature) · tg аъҷуба (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru вундерки́нд (a prodigy) · pt monstro (terrifying dangerous creature) · cs nestvůra (terrifying dangerous creature) · th ปีศาจ (terrifying dangerous creature) · oc mostre (terrifying dangerous creature) · ast monstruu (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru чудо́вище (bizarre or whimsical creature) · he מִפְלֶצֶת (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl paskuda (bizarre or whimsical creature) · tg аждахо (terrifying dangerous creature) · mi tuoro (terrifying dangerous creature) · uk почва́ра (terrifying dangerous creature) · es vestiglo (terrifying dangerous creature) · be страхо́цце (terrifying dangerous creature) · mk чудовиште (terrifying dangerous creature) · kmr lawir (terrifying dangerous creature) · th อสุรกาย (terrifying dangerous creature) · et koletis (terrifying dangerous creature) · et peletis (terrifying dangerous creature) · tl halimaw (terrifying dangerous creature) · oc monstre (terrifying dangerous creature) · bni elima (terrifying dangerous creature) · fa-ira دیوْ (terrifying dangerous creature) · mww dab (terrifying dangerous creature) · th อสูร (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru коло́сс (something unusually large) · tr canavar (terrifying dangerous creature) · lo ຜີສາດ (terrifying dangerous creature) · el τέρας (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · ru чудо́вище (badly behaved child) · ru и́зверг (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · ru монстр (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · be страхо́цьце (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl potwora (terrifying dangerous creature) · eu munstro (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl straszydło (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl bachor (badly behaved child) · pl bestia (terrifying dangerous creature) · ug مەخلۇق (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl dziwotwór (bizarre or whimsical creature) · el τέρας (badly behaved child) · ja モンスター (terrifying dangerous creature) · az canavar (terrifying dangerous creature) · es monstruo (terrifying dangerous creature) · lo ຜີເຜດ (terrifying dangerous creature) · km យក្ខ (terrifying dangerous creature) · tg ғул (terrifying dangerous creature) · lv briesmonis (terrifying dangerous creature) · cmn 妖怪 (terrifying dangerous creature) · nb uhyre (terrifying dangerous creature) · la bēlua (bizarre or whimsical creature) · ru потво́р (terrifying dangerous creature) · fr monstre (a prodigy) · kk жалмауыз (terrifying dangerous creature) · da uhyre (terrifying dangerous creature) · mi kaurehe (terrifying dangerous creature) · tr gulyabani (terrifying dangerous creature) · ca dimoni (badly behaved child) · fr monstre (terrifying dangerous creature) · de Ungeheuer (terrifying dangerous creature) · ky ажыдаар (terrifying dangerous creature) · cs potvora (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru чу́дище (terrifying dangerous creature) · sq përbindësh (terrifying dangerous creature) · es fiera (a prodigy) · pl stwór (terrifying dangerous creature) · ca monstre (badly behaved child) · fr bête (a prodigy) · ps هيولا (terrifying dangerous creature) · kk құбыжық (terrifying dangerous creature) · cy anghenfil (terrifying dangerous creature) · uk чу́дище (terrifying dangerous creature) · af monster (bizarre or whimsical creature) · ko 괴물 (terrifying dangerous creature) · mi nauhea (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · hi राक्षस (terrifying dangerous creature) · mr राक्षस (terrifying dangerous creature) · ca monstre (something unusually large) · el τέρας (bizarre or whimsical creature) · af monster (terrifying dangerous creature) · haw tutua (terrifying dangerous creature) · ar وَحْش (terrifying dangerous creature) · bg чудо́вище (terrifying dangerous creature) · grc πέλωρ (terrifying dangerous creature) · cmn 魔鬼 (terrifying dangerous creature) · az div (terrifying dangerous creature) · ps دېب (terrifying dangerous creature) · ang þyrs (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru монстр (badly behaved child) · tg аждар (terrifying dangerous creature) · ga arracht (terrifying dangerous creature) · it mostro (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru чу́чело (bizarre or whimsical creature) · pl pokraka (bizarre or whimsical creature) · be страшы́дла (terrifying dangerous creature) · ca monstre (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · ru чудо́вище (terrifying dangerous creature) · nl monster (terrifying dangerous creature) · nn uhyre (terrifying dangerous creature) · ro monstru (terrifying dangerous creature) · el τέρας (terrifying dangerous creature) · lv nezvērs (terrifying dangerous creature) · be мо́нстар (terrifying dangerous creature) · ca monstre (a prodigy) · km វិរូបកាយ (terrifying dangerous creature) · ru не́людь (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · hi देव (terrifying dangerous creature) · ur دَرِنْدَہ (terrifying dangerous creature) · ms raksasa (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl poczwara (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl monstrum (terrifying dangerous creature) · ltg baisūņs (terrifying dangerous creature) · mg sampona (bizarre or whimsical creature) · ru грома́дина (something unusually large) · pl szkarada (bizarre or whimsical creature) · hi दैत्य (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl dziwoląg (bizarre or whimsical creature) · nrf monstre (terrifying dangerous creature) · gd uile-bheist (terrifying dangerous creature) · ka ურჩხული (terrifying dangerous creature) · uk потво́ра (terrifying dangerous creature) · arz مسيخ (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl gadzina (bizarre or whimsical creature) · fi riiviö (badly behaved child) · eo monstro (terrifying dangerous creature) · ckb دێو (bizarre or whimsical creature) · sv odjur (terrifying dangerous creature) · sh čȕdovīšte (terrifying dangerous creature) · az nəhəng (terrifying dangerous creature) · mi nauwhea (anti-social person, especially a criminal) · ru пу́гало (bizarre or whimsical creature) · uk чу́дисько (terrifying dangerous creature) · pl monstrum (something unusually large) · mg sampona (terrifying dangerous creature) · la bēlua (terrifying dangerous creature)

monster en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • mŏn'stə (US) r
  • /ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈmɑnstɚ/ (US)
  • (Australia) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *men- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *monéyeti Proto-Italic *man-eje- Proto-Italic *moneō Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-trom Proto-Italic *-trom Proto-Italic *monestrom Latin mōnstrumbor. Old French monstrebor. Middle English monstre English monster From Middle English monstre, from Old French monstre, mostre, moustre, from Latin mōnstrum. Displaced native Old English fīfel and Old English þyrs.

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To make into a monster; to categorise as a monster; to demonise.
    • Demonizing or monstering other groups has even become part of the cycle of American politics. 2011, Stephen T. Asma, On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears, page 234:
    • 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. 1968, Robert Lowell, Robert Lowell: A Collection of Critical Essays, page 145:
    • A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations feature four cases of women monstered by passion. Madame Defarge is ‘a tigress’, Mrs Joe a virago, Molly (Estella′s criminal mother) ‘a wild beast tamed’ and Miss Havisham a witch-like creature, a ghastly combination of waxwork and skeleton. 1983, Michael Slater, Dickens and Women, page 290:
    • The community forgives: this is in deep contrast to offenders that emerge from prison and remain stigmatised and monstered, often unable to get work or housing. 2005, Diana Medlicott, “The Unbearable Brutality of Being: Casual Cruelty in Prison and What This Tells Us About Who We Really Are”, in Margaret Sönser Breen, editor, Minding Evil: Explorations of Human Iniquity, page 82:
  2. (intransitive) To behave as a monster to; to terrorise.
    • 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 2009, Darius Rejali, Torture and Democracy, page 292:
    • The interrogators asked members of the 377th Military Police Company to help them with monstering, and the MPs complied. 2010, Joshua E. S. Phillips, None of Us Were Like This Before: American Soldiers and Torture, page 39:
  3. (Australia) To harass.
    • 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. 2009 January 31, Leo Schlink, “Match looms as final for the ages”, in Herald Sun, archived from the original on 02 Feb 2009:
  4. (UK, qualifier:live action roleplaying games) 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.
    • Are you monstering that event?

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
monstre alternative, obsolete lexicographic
monsters Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
monstered Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
monstered Tense=Past lexicographic
monstering Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Synonyms

monsterize