dog 1 of 2

noun

ˈdȯg How to pronounce dog (audio)
Definition of dognext
1
as in puppy
a domestic mammal that is related to the wolves and foxes a dog who needs a loving home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others she must think that you're a real dog after hearing those tasteless jokes you told last night

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dog

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to chase
to go after or on the track of star athletes being dogged by fans when they're out in public

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to hound
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders tired of constantly having to dog their son about cleaning his room

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 dog
Noun
Housed within a residential tower, the hotel is also pet-friendly—expect to share the elevator with both business travelers and designer dogs. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026 The dog was trained for patrol duties and to detect firearms and ammunition, according to previous Sheriff’s Office posts. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
The investigation is dogged by unanswered questions, such as how many people are believed to have taken part in her abduction and whether she was taken by someone who knew her. — ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026 Pollsters approach this year’s midterm elections dogged by high-profile misfires in recent elections while facing challenges from brash rivals intent on reshaping the landscape of political forecasts. — W. Joseph Campbell, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dog
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dog
  1. puppy
  2. jerk
  3. chase
  4. hound
  5. canine
  6. clown
  7. track
  8. needle
Noun
  • Just over 60 days later, that mama dog gave birth to a puppy wolf.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Nix is waaaaay too good of an athlete to sit in the pocket with less patience than a puppy.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of puppy
Noun
  • From award-winning jerk pork wraps to classic rice and peas, every bite celebrates our heritage.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Bella’s childhood friend Angus (Jake Simmance), a corporate jerk, condescendingly probes Johnny about his career.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Businesses that rediscover its values will gain what their velocity-chasing competitors cannot buy, borrow, or automate.
    — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The settlers hurled stones with slings and set the groves on fire, chasing a group of journalists about 80 yards from the scene.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of chase
Verb
  • Wings Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams started the Lakers’ preseason opener and the defensive-minded players flashed their potential by hounding opponents the full length of the court.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Miami doesn’t have Jaelen Phillips and Bradley Chubb, two proven, established pass rushers, to hound the opposition’s quarterback.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of hound
Noun
  • Roger Picard, a canine search specialist with Florida Task Force 2, said two dogs and their handlers flew in a helicopter with the National Guard to patrol some of the barrier islands in case local fire or emergency services missed anything.
    — Anna McAllister, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • As a woman waded through the waters around the Bridge Side Marina in Bridge Isle, Louisiana, the tiny canine with a fluffy white coat wiggled his forelegs as if swimming, video of the cute moment shows.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of canine
Noun
  • When asked about his most Mary-like quality, Yang pointed to the duality of the clown.
    — Alex Jhamb Burns, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Jean pays tribute to the oversized trousers worn by rodeo clowns.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of clown
Verb
  • Engagement is often seen as a metric about sentiment that can be measured and tracked, but is treated as something employees bring—or fail to bring—to their jobs.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The country has no official state mechanism dedicated to tracking antisemitic incidents, leaving community organizations to document cases and prompting concerns that many experiences are never formally recorded.
    — Ariella Noveck, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of track
Verb
  • For weeks, Sony Pictures has been needling Mark Zuckerberg with an ad campaign promising that the Meta CEO will love The Social Reckoning.
    — Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Like families since time immemorial, the Hollingsworths are prone to needling each other about their love lives or grousing about their parents.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of needle

Phrases Containing dog

Browse Nearby Words

do for
dog
dog's breakfast
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dog. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dog

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dog

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
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
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All