Illustration of Labrador retriever
Labrador retriever
noun
Lab·ra·dor retriever
ˈla-brə-ˌdȯr- 
: any of a breed of medium-sized strongly built retrievers largely developed in England from stock originating in Newfoundland and having a short dense black, yellow, or chocolate coat and a thick rounded tail
called also Lab, Labrador
Examples of Labrador retriever in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
More whimsically, it's known for a friendship between a cheetah and Labrador retriever that had a social media moment.
—
CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025
According to the American Kennel Club, the Labrador retriever remains a firm favorite among dog owners.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025
John Lowe and his son Hayden Lowe have been charged in connection with the deaths of a beagle and chocolate Labrador retriever, the La Porte County Sheriff's Office in Indiana announced last week.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
In 1996, co-founder Todd Graves named the company after his dog, a yellow Labrador retriever named Raising Cane (later known as Raising Cane I), who frequently spent time at the construction site.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
And, McCoy is nervous for the family’s Labrador retriever, who will have to fly in the plane’s cargo hold in a kennel.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 14 Sep. 2025
Nationally, the most common dog breed is the Labrador retriever, but Arizona has a different favorite.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Hope Anne, a 1-year-old Labrador retriever Meet Hope Anne — a bouncy, lovable black Lab mix with a heart full of joy and a tail that just won’t quit.
—Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
While a typical Labrador retriever or border collie had a median life expectancy of just over 13 years, the researchers found that almost across the board, flat-faced, or brachycephalic, dogs fared worse by that measure.
—Amanda Schupak, CNN, 3 Feb. 2024
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CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025
According to the American Kennel Club, the Labrador retriever remains a firm favorite among dog owners.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025
John Lowe and his son Hayden Lowe have been charged in connection with the deaths of a beagle and chocolate Labrador retriever, the La Porte County Sheriff's Office in Indiana announced last week.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
In 1996, co-founder Todd Graves named the company after his dog, a yellow Labrador retriever named Raising Cane (later known as Raising Cane I), who frequently spent time at the construction site.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
And, McCoy is nervous for the family’s Labrador retriever, who will have to fly in the plane’s cargo hold in a kennel.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 14 Sep. 2025
Nationally, the most common dog breed is the Labrador retriever, but Arizona has a different favorite.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Hope Anne, a 1-year-old Labrador retriever Meet Hope Anne — a bouncy, lovable black Lab mix with a heart full of joy and a tail that just won’t quit.
—Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
While a typical Labrador retriever or border collie had a median life expectancy of just over 13 years, the researchers found that almost across the board, flat-faced, or brachycephalic, dogs fared worse by that measure.
—Amanda Schupak, CNN, 3 Feb. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Labrador retriever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Labrador%20retriever. Accessed 25 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Labrador retriever
noun
Lab·ra·dor retriever
ˌlab-rə-ˌdȯr-
: any of a breed of strongly built retrievers having a broad head, a short dense black, yellow, or chocolate coat, and a thick rounded tail
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