brown bear

noun

: any of several chiefly brown bears that are usually considered a single species (Ursus arctos), that formerly inhabited western North America from Alaska to northern Mexico and much of Europe and Asia but are now much restricted in range, and that include the grizzly bear and Kodiak bear

Illustration of brown bear

Examples of brown bear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His disappearance comes after a large brown bear was reported in the area on Saturday, July 12. —Michael Nied, People.com, 16 July 2025

Along the way, spot Himalayan ibex, Tibetan wolves, and endangered Himalayan brown bears. —Rumit Mehta, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025

Researchers presented eight captive brown bears with this food challenge: Three objects – a large log, a small log and a box – were placed in an outdoor enclosure. —Leticia Fanucchi, The Conversation, 10 Feb. 2025

In a study published by the country’s forestry research institute earlier this year, the agency said that Romania may have as many as 13,000 brown bears, almost double previous estimates, according to the outlet. —Sam Gillette, People.com, 4 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1757, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for brown bear

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

Kids Definition

brown bear

noun

: any of several bears that are mostly brown in color, are usually lumped together in a single species including the grizzly bear, and at one time inhabited much of North America from Alaska to northern Mexico as well as Europe and Asia