Illustration of tiger
- tiger 1a
plural tigers
1
plural also tiger
a
: a large Asian carnivorous mammal (Panthera tigris) of the cat family having a usually tawny coat transversely striped with black
b
: any of several large wildcats (such as the jaguar or cougar)
c
: a domestic cat with striped pattern
d
Australia
: tasmanian tiger
2
a
: a fierce, daring, or aggressive person or quality
aroused the tiger in him
a tiger for work
b
: someone or something (such as a situation) that is formidable or impossible to control
… how the tiger of inflation can be tamed.—
J. A. Davenport
—often used in the phrases ride a tiger and have a tiger by the tail
J. A. Davenport3
British
: a groom in livery
tigerishly
adverb
tigerishness
noun
Examples of tiger in a Sentence
He was a tiger on the basketball court.
even the best defense can't keep that tiger from scoring
Recent Examples on the Web
His daughter, Lisa Rodriguez, said he was known for his loud sense of style — his favorite shirt had a rainbow tiger on it — and his funny sayings.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Opponents argue the attraction prioritizes profit over animal welfare, citing concerns about the stress that constant visitor exposure and noise could impose on the tigers.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
Imagine rolling over in bed and locking eyes with a Siberian tiger.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
As for the sleeping experience itself, some guests report hearing tigers roaring at night.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tiger
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Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Opponents argue the attraction prioritizes profit over animal welfare, citing concerns about the stress that constant visitor exposure and noise could impose on the tigers.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
Imagine rolling over in bed and locking eyes with a Siberian tiger.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026
As for the sleeping experience itself, some guests report hearing tigers roaring at night.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tiger
Cite this Entry
“Tiger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tiger. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tiger
noun
ti·ger
ˈtī-gər 
plural tigers also tiger
1
: a large Asian flesh-eating mammal of the same family as the domestic cat with a coat that is typically light brown to orange with mostly vertical black stripes
2
: any of several large wildcats (as the jaguar or cougar)
3
: a domestic cat with a striped coat
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