1
a
: a pampered and usually spoiled child
b
: a person who is treated with unusual kindness or consideration : darling
2
: a domesticated animal kept for pleasure rather than utility
1
: kept or treated as a pet
2
: expressing fondness or endearment
a pet name
3
: favorite
a pet project
petted; petting
1
a
: to treat as a pet
b
: to stroke in a gentle or loving manner
2
: to treat with unusual kindness and consideration : pamper
: to engage in amorous embracing, caressing, and kissing : neck
petter
noun
: a fit of peevishness, sulkiness, or anger
—usually used in the phrase in a pet
resigned in a pet
petroleum
Peter
positron-emission tomography
Synonyms
Examples of pet in a Sentence
Adjective
The mayor's pet project has been the construction of a new high school.
spent my free time on my pet project
Recent Examples on the Web
Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
The fact that 40 percent of the respondents opted to save their pet does not surprise me.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pet 
Noun
The mother of one then posted from the hospital over the subsequent weeks, including sharing shots of herself receiving visits from her pets, before deleting all of the photos from Instagram.
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 19 Apr. 2024
The fact that 40 percent of the respondents opted to save their pet does not surprise me.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pet
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pet
Cite this Entry
“Pet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pet. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pet
1 of 4 noun1
: someone given special treatment or consideration
teacher's pet
2
: a tame animal kept for pleasure rather than for use
pet
2 of 4 adjective1
: kept or treated as a pet
a pet rabbit
2
: showing fondness
a pet name
3
: favorite entry 2
my pet project
pet
4 of 4 noun
: a spell of sulkiness or anger
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