hamster
noun
ham·ster
ˈham(p)-stər 
: any of a subfamily (Cricetinae) of small Old World rodents having very large cheek pouches
Examples of hamster in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Guinea pigs, primates, rabbits and hamsters are far more common.
—
Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 25 Mar. 2026
His steps were short, and the movement of his body was jerky, like a hamster’s.
—Caleb Crain, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
People make drastic decisions inside the hamster wheel of a deteriorating upper-middle-class suburban milieu.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
My hamster turned the curler box into a trundle bed for when her cousin sleeps over.
—Fiona Landers, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hamster
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.
Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 25 Mar. 2026
His steps were short, and the movement of his body was jerky, like a hamster’s.
—Caleb Crain, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
People make drastic decisions inside the hamster wheel of a deteriorating upper-middle-class suburban milieu.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026
My hamster turned the curler box into a trundle bed for when her cousin sleeps over.
—Fiona Landers, New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hamster
Cite this Entry
“Hamster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hamster. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hamster
noun
ham·ster
ˈham(p)-stər
: any of various small Old World rodents with a short tail and large cheek pouches
Medical Definition
hamster
noun
ham·ster
ˈham(p)-stər
: any of numerous Old World rodents (Cricetus or a related genus) having very large cheek pouches and including several used as laboratory animals
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
