Illustration of dog
- 1 pastern
- 2 chest
- 3 flews
- 4 muzzle
- 5 stop
- 6 occiput
- 7 leather
- 8 crest
- 9 withers
- 10 loin
- 11 point of rump
- 12 hock or tarsus
- 13 knee or stifle
- 14 brisket
- 15 elbow
- 16 feathering
plural dogs
1
a
: a carnivorous mammal (Canis familiaris) closely related to the gray wolf that has long been domesticated as a pet, occurs in a variety of sizes, colors, and coat types, and is sometimes trained to perform special tasks (such as herding, guarding, or acting as a service animal)
After 31 years of Labrador retrievers holding the title, the American Kennel Club says French bulldogs were the most popular dog in America last year.—
Scott Simon
Scott Simon
b
: any of a family (Canidae) of carnivorous mammals that includes the wolves, jackals, foxes, coyotes, and the domestic dog : canid
c
: a male dog compare bitch entry 1 sense 1
2
3
4
: uncharacteristic or affected stylishness or dignity
They really put on the dog for their daughter's wedding.
5
6
7
dogs plural, informal
: ruin
—used with the
It's enough to drive anyone to the dogs.
The economy is going to the dogs.
8
informal
: an inferior one of its kind
The movie was a dog.
The stock is a dog. Earnings have been poor …—Douglas A. McIntyre
Douglas A. McIntyreLogic should dictate that a hefty sedan powered by a small four-cylinder motor should be a real dog of a thing to drive.—Keith Didham
Keith Didham9
slang, often disparaging + offensive
: an unattractive person
especially
: an unattractive girl or woman
10
informal
: hot dog sense 1
bought two dogs and a beer
dogged
ˈdȯgd 
ˈdägd
; dogging; dogs
1
a
: to hunt, track, or follow (someone) like a hound
dogged her every move
b
: to be a persistent source of difficulty or distress to (someone) : plague
Rumors dogged him throughout his public life.—Howard Chua-Eoan
—often used in the passive with byHoward Chua-EoanTheir star pitcher has been dogged by injuries.
The project has been dogged by controversy.
c
: to bother or pester (someone) persistently : hound
Reporters dogged her for information.
2
: to fasten (something) with a dog (see dog entry 1 sense 3)
dogged down the hatch
Examples of dog in a Sentence
Noun
That dog barks all day long.
children playing with the family dog
wild dogs such as the Australian dingo
Her latest book turned out to be a real dog.
That was a dog of a movie.
Verb
He dogged her every move.
Creditors dogged him until he finally paid his bills.
Recent Examples on the Web
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
Previously, dog owners were only required to report bites to Maricopa County Animal Care & Control, with no obligation to share contact information with victims — leading to many unreported incidents, according to the agency.
—Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 28 Sep. 2025
Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2025
But there were fewer differences in sleep quality indicators between cat and non-cat owners compared to dog and non-dog owners.
—L'oreal Thompson Payton, Fortune Well, 17 Mar. 2023
Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 24 Sep. 2025
According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, dogs that suddenly bolt are often acting on instinct rather than misbehaving.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dog
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The impish Reeves brings puppy-dog codependence to the scruffy Estragon, who leans on Vladimir as his body and memory fail him.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
Previously, dog owners were only required to report bites to Maricopa County Animal Care & Control, with no obligation to share contact information with victims — leading to many unreported incidents, according to the agency.
—Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
However, non-dog companions must remain in a carrier at all times for their safety.
—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2025
But there were fewer differences in sleep quality indicators between cat and non-cat owners compared to dog and non-dog owners.
—L'oreal Thompson Payton, Fortune Well, 17 Mar. 2023
Verb
The lawmaker said Trump doesn’t like bad headlines and negative media coverage, something that has dogged Kennedy since his Senate confirmation proceedings.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 24 Sep. 2025
According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, dogs that suddenly bolt are often acting on instinct rather than misbehaving.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dog
Cite this Entry
“Dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dog. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dog
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a domestic mammal that eats meat and is closely related to the gray wolf
b
: any animal of the family to which the dog belongs
c
: a male dog
2
a
: a worthless person
b
: person sense 1
you lucky dog
3
a
: any of various devices for holding, gripping, or fastening that consist of a spike, rod, or bar
b
: andiron
4
: a show of being stylish or rich
put on the dog
5
plural
: feet
dog
2 of 2 verb
dogged; dogging
: to hunt, track, or follow like a hound
Medical Definition
dog
nounoften attributive
: a highly variable carnivorous domesticated mammal of the genus Canis (C. familiaris) closely related to the common wolf (Canis lupus)
broadly
: any member of the family Canidae
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