1
a
: any of various large tailless semi-erect primates of Africa and southeastern Asia (such as the chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, or gibbon)
called also anthropoid, anthropoid ape
compare great ape
b
: monkey
especially
: one of the larger tailless or short-tailed Old World forms
—not used technically
2
a
: mimic
b
: a large uncouth person
aped; aping
: to copy closely but often clumsily and ineptly
aper
noun
1
: wildly excited or enthusiastic
Our family of ten was ape for apricots, passionate about peaches …—
Jerry Nelson
—usually used in the phrase go apeJerry NelsonKids go ape pointing out the location of the tiny otter on the big stage.—Dewayne Bevil
Dewayne BevilThe odds of the Phillies winning a World Series increased exponentially and the betting world went ape.—Tommy Gartrell
Tommy Gartrell2
: showing extreme or uncontrolled anger, aggression, or agitation
—usually used in the phrase go ape
They knew George Steinbrenner would go ape if the Yankees lost the highest-stakes game ever against the Red Sox.—Randy Miller
Randy MillerAlso, don't scream at the top of your lungs or generally go ape. Screaming is for emergencies.—Jody Stallings
Jody StallingsWinged things have spooked me ever since a duck went ape and attacked me at age 4 at the Bronx Zoo.—Alfred Lubrano
Alfred Lubrano
Examples of ape in a Sentence
Noun
Her boyfriend's some big ape she met at a party.
Verb
She apes the speech and manners of the rich.
was caught aping the substitute teacher's thick accent
Recent Examples on the WebDavid Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2024
Professor de Waal’s sympathy for apes was not lost on the animals themselves.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ape 
Noun
This is what brings Kong to the surface world, and one visit from a kaiju dentist named Trapper (Dan Stevens) later, our No. 1 ape is recuperating on a beach in Barbados.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2024
Professor de Waal’s sympathy for apes was not lost on the animals themselves.
—Alex Traub, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ape
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ape.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Ape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ape. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ape
1 of 2 noun1
a
: monkey entry 1 sense 1
especially
: one of the larger tailless or short-tailed forms
b
: any of two families of large primates including the chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, and gibbon
3
: a large uncouth person
ape
2 of 2 verb
aped; aping
: to copy closely but often clumsily
aper
noun
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