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

Wildlife officials found and killed 14 black bears last week on a property in Montana. — N. Kirkpatrick, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026

That’s how the park deals with black bears deemed a threat to tourists. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2026

According to Fish and Wildlife, black bear encounters resulting in human injury are rare in California. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026

Still, there is something in Diaz that wants to be reckoned with, something that brings to mind those black bears in SoHo, startling and powerful and rare. — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 21 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