black bear

noun

: the common North American bear (Ursus americanus) ranging in color from brown or typical black to white

Illustration of black bear

Examples of black bear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hike one of its rugged trails, snap photos from the Mile High Swinging Bridge, or visit the wildlife habitats along the way, which are home to black bears, elk, and eagles. — Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2026

The Sunrise resident opened the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission website and bought 30 tickets in the lottery to hunt a Florida black bear. — Zoey Thomas, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026

The second harrowing black bear attack took place early Sunday morning, according to CPW. — Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026

New video released this week shows a tense encounter in Colorado in which a sheriff's deputy was forced to shoot and kill a charging mother black bear. — Andrew Gutierrez, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for black bear

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare

Kids Definition

black bear

noun

: the common usually black-furred bear found in North American forests