plural donkeys
1
: the domestic ass (Equus asinus)
2
: a stupid or obstinate person

Examples of donkey in a Sentence

we put our bags on the donkey and headed down the canyon called him a donkey when he refused to go along with their plans
Recent Examples on the Web Related Articles The menu featured McCormack’s quirky illustrations of a barefoot, Wife of Bath-style character riding a donkey — and smoking a cigarette — and a menagerie of fish, fowl and other animals. Samantha Conti, WWD, 10 Oct. 2024 There, the family owns several chickens, numerous horses, multiple goats, and a donkey, according to The New York Times. Nicholas Rice, People.com, 9 Oct. 2024 Once again, some families moved south on foot, in donkey carts or crowded in vehicles that navigated piles of rubble. Samy Magdy and Bassem Mroue, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Oct. 2024 Without enough ambulances to carry them, body after body of the dead arrived in private cars or donkey carts. Ahmed Abu Artema, TIME, 12 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for donkey 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'donkey.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of donkey was circa 1785

Dictionary Entries Near donkey

Cite this Entry

“Donkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/donkey. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

donkey

noun
plural donkeys
1
: a sturdy domestic mammal that is classified with the asses and is used especially to carry things
2
: a stupid or stubborn person

More from Merriam-Webster on donkey

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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