monsters
Things under beds
Monsters are creatures that frighten—whether from mythology, fiction, or nightmare.
Dragons, vampires, and werewolves are monsters.
The word extends to anything unnaturally large or threatening: a monster truck, a monster wave.
A person who commits atrocities is called a monster: The dictator was a monster.
Informally, monster means impressively large: a monster hit, a monster deal.
Children feared for imaginary monsters under the bed grow up to use the word casually for formidable challenges or achievements.
Legendary fire-breathing reptile
- hydraFreshwater cnidarian polyp
- minotaurBull-headed humanoid creature
- chimeraUnrealistic fantasy or hybrid
- sphinxMysterious, unreadable person
gorgon · cyclops · medusa · cerberus · phoenix · griffin · basilisk · kraken
Creature of immense size
- colossusStatue of immense size
- titanDominant figure in field
- goliathImmense person or thing
- leviathanEnormous creature or entity
gargantuan · towering · hulking · mammoth · kaiju · cyclops · giant · ogre
Blood-drinking undead creature
- werewolfShapeshifting wolf-person
- zombieReanimated dead body
- ghostApparition of the dead
- demonMalevolent supernatural being
specter · apparition · ghoul · poltergeist · wraith · revenant · mummy · doppelganger
Frightening dream causing wakefulness
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- phobiaPersistent irrational dread
- creepingMoving slowly, stealthily
lurking · stalking · fangs · claws · menacing · hideous · grotesque · fearsome
Malicious folklore creature
- trollDeliberate online antagonist
- orcSavage fantasy humanoid
- ogreMonstrous man-eating giant
- elfSmall magical creature
dwarf · gnome · sprite · pixie · fairy · imp · leprechaun · gremlin
Imaginary childhood terror
Legendary North American ape-man
- yetiMythical Himalayan ape-man
- chupacabraFolklore's livestock-draining monster
- mothmanWinged humanoid cryptid
- thunderbirdSpirit bird causing tempests
dragon
Legendary fire-breathing reptile
- hydraFreshwater cnidarian polyp
- minotaurBull-headed humanoid creature
- chimeraUnrealistic fantasy or hybrid
sphinx · gorgon · cyclops · medusa · cerberus · phoenix · griffin · basilisk · kraken · leviathan
behemoth
Creature of immense size
leviathan · gargantuan · towering · hulking · mammoth · kaiju · cyclops · giant · ogre · troll
vampire
Blood-drinking undead creature
demon · specter · apparition · ghoul · poltergeist · wraith · revenant · mummy · doppelganger · possessed
nightmare
Frightening dream causing wakefulness
creeping · lurking · stalking · fangs · claws · menacing · hideous · grotesque · fearsome · terrifying
goblin
Malicious folklore creature
elf · dwarf · gnome · sprite · pixie · fairy · imp · leprechaun · gremlin · kobold
bogeyman
Imaginary childhood terror
sasquatch
Legendary North American ape-man
- yetiMythical Himalayan ape-man
- chupacabraFolklore's livestock-draining monster
- mothmanWinged humanoid cryptid
thunderbird · bunyip · flatwoods · jackalope
- beingsbeings, being, entities, entity, creatures
- coloring subjectsanimals, butterflies, cats, dinosaurs, dogs
- family entertainmentanimated films, cartoons, G-rated, happy endings, happily ever after
- Medieval Fantasyknights, dragons, King Arthur, Merlin, quests
- mythologyZeus, Apollo, Athena, Poseidon, Odin
- mythsmyth, legend, fable, fairy tale, folk tale
monstersangels
Divine winged messengers
heroes · saints · saviors · guardians · protectors
monsterscomforters
Padded bed coverings
teddy bears · sweethearts · darlings · lambs · pets
- sea monsterMythic ocean beast
- monster truckOversized exhibition vehicle
- Gila monsterVenomous American desert lizard
- monster movieFilm featuring frightening beasts
- green-eyed monsterPersonified covetousness
- Frankenstein's monsterAssembled reanimated corpse