What does beastly mean?
Beastly is an adjective with two main strands of meaning. In its primary sense, it describes conduct that is cruel, brutal, or savagely inhuman — behaviour worthy of a beast rather than a person, as in 'a beastly act of violence'. In its second, chiefly British and informal sense, it means simply very unpleasant or annoying, most often applied to weather, as in 'beastly weather' or 'a beastly cold day'. This milder use has a slightly old-fashioned, understated charm and is a classic vehicle for British complaint about the climate. The word derives from 'beast', ultimately from Latin 'bestia', and shares ancestry with 'bestial'. Its synonyms range from the forceful (brutal, savage) to the everyday (nasty). Whether condemning genuine cruelty or grumbling about the rain, 'beastly' remains a vivid, expressive word.
Cruel, brutal, or resembling a beast in nature.
"The captors showed beastly indifference to their prisoners' suffering."
(British, informal) Very unpleasant or disagreeable.
"It was a beastly morning, grey and drizzling without pause."
Chiefly British; often applied to weather.
In British English, calling the weather 'beastly' is such a beloved complaint that the word has been grumbling about rain for over a century.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of beastly
Beastly derives from 'beast', which English borrowed from Old French 'beste', ultimately from the Latin 'bestia', meaning a wild animal. Formed with the adjective suffix '-ly', it originally meant 'of the nature of a beast'. It has been used since Middle English times to describe animal-like brutality, and later developed its characteristically British informal sense of 'very unpleasant'. Related words from the same root include 'bestial' and 'bestiary', both direct descendants of Latin 'bestia'.
How beastly is actually used
The 'unpleasant/annoying' sense is chiefly British and informal, often applied to weather, and carries a slightly old-fashioned, mild tone. The sense of cruelty or brutality is standard in both British and American English and can describe people, actions, or conditions. As an adverb ('beastly hot'), it survives mainly in dated or humorous British usage.
Easily confused with beastly
'Bestial' describes something savage and lacking human intelligence or feeling in a more formal register, while 'beastly' is broader and can mean either brutishly cruel or (in British usage) merely disagreeable.