cougar

noun cou·gar \ ˈkü-gər also -ˌgär \

Updated on: 25 May 2018

Definition of cougar

plural cougars also cougar

1 : a large powerful tawny-brown cat (Puma concolor synonym Felis concolor) formerly widespread in the Americas but now reduced in number or extinct in many areas — called also catamount, mountain lion, panther, puma

2 slang : a middle-aged woman seeking a romantic relationship with a younger man

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Examples of cougar in a Sentence

in many regions, suburban developments have encroached upon the habitat of the cougar

Recent Examples of cougar from the Web

After cornering the cougar up a nearby tree, agents from the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife euthanized the animal.

— National Geographic, "Cougar That Killed Cyclist Was Underweight, Likely Desperate," 21 May 2018
Wildlife agents euthanized the cougar dead hours later.

— NBC News, "Biker's death near Seattle is Washington's first cougar fatality in 94 years," 21 May 2018
The cougar had been standing over the body of the victim when authorities arrived, KIRO reported.

— paulina dedaj, Fox News, "Cougar attack in Washington kills 1 biker, injures another," 19 May 2018
Abbott says the cougar ran into the woods and officers with the Washington Department of Fish and Game are trying to track it.

— the oregonian staff and wire reports, OregonLive.com, "Cougar attack kills 1, injures 1 in Washington," 19 May 2018
So far, 10 classrooms have been restored, along with a science lab, the cafeteria and the gymnasium (where the school’s blue cougar logo bursts from the shiny hardwood floor).

— kia gregory, The Root, "Philadelphia’s Housing Authority Bought a High School: What Does That Mean for One of the City’s Poorest Neighborhoods?," 2 May 2018
The state hauled away the animals from Hetrick's sanctuary near Toledo in 2015 and later shipped them outside of Ohio, spending more than $30,000 on temporary care for the tigers, a bear, a leopard and a cougar.

— john seewer, Fox News, "Court won't return tigers, exotic animals to Ohio man's home," 26 Apr. 2018
The cougar was reported to be in a small room that was under construction at the end of a narrow hallway, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement.

— everton bailey jr., OregonLive.com, "Plane crashes in Clatskanie, pilot escapes without serious injuries," 20 Mar. 2018
Limpy the lion, has gifted the world with five healthy cougars in the last few years.

— david caraccio, sacbee, "Photographer camera traps mountain lions in this stunning video shot near L.A. | The Sacramento Bee," 14 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cougar.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.