Meaning & use
Harpies
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In Greek mythology, monstrous creatures with the face of a woman and the body of a bird, notorious for snatching things away; also used to describe cruel or predatory women.
See it in a sentence
In the myth, the Harpies tormented Phineus by stealing his food before he could eat.
The tabloids were called harpies for how ruthlessly they pursued the grieving family.
A note on using this word
The plural of "harpy"; the word's mythological origin gives it a lasting negative connotation when applied to people.
Words with a similar meaning
furies
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