vampire

noun

ˈvam-ˌpī(-ə)r How to pronounce vampire (audio)
Definition of vampirenext
as in predator
a person who habitually preys upon others regarded debt collectors as vampires who made a living from the misery of others

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 vampire This represents the first time astronomers have seen a low-mass star acting as a stellar vampire, stealing material from a low-mass stellar companion. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026 Unlike ghosts, vampires have physical form and can interact directly with humans; like ghosts, vampires live forever, allowing for a humorous juxtaposition of characters from many points in time in one unhappy household. — Alison Herman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 Jesse is married to Phyllis (Rose Abdoo), a mortal woman who doesn’t know that her never-aging husband is a vampire. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026 The creators say their gentler take on vampires centers on relationships and family, setting it apart from vampire comedies. — Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vampire
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vampire
  1. predator
  2. shark
Noun
  • Because the outcome of sporting events holds significance to the athlete, the brain doesn’t distinguish between the threat of letting a team down by allowing a game-losing goal and a predator in the wild.
    — Jesse Granger, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • With few predators in these new habitats, a single fish can produce more than 2 million eggs a year.
    — Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of predator
Noun
  • Eleven people remain missing after an 89-hour search; several survivors suffered injuries consistent with shark bites.
    — Jaimie Ding, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • While authorities have stressed the need to get Bukangi out to sea quickly, Kim said patience will be key, giving the shark time to adjust to the waters beyond the canal before venturing farther out.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of shark

Browse Nearby Words

vamping (up)
vampire
vampires
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vampire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vampire. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on vampire

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vampire

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All