Illustration of cougar
- cougar 1
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
Synonyms
Examples of cougar in a Sentence
in many regions, suburban developments have encroached upon the habitat of the cougar
Recent Examples on the Web
She'll be housed in a new habitat next to cougars Shasta VII and Louie.
—
Shafaq Patel, Axios, 10 Sep. 2024
The incident comes after a 21-year-old man was killed by a cougar that attacked him and his 18-year-old in May in Northern California's El Dorado National Forest, about 52 miles northeast of Sacramento.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2024
Scientists and conservationists say this wildlife passage will also be crucial to restoring gene flow among small, isolated populations of cougars trapped south of the freeway in the Santa Monica Mountains, and cougars confined to the north in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains.
—Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2024
And since many Californians care deeply about protecting the state’s mountain lions, issuing dramatic displays of public grief when a 12-year-old urban cougar was euthanized after being struck by a car, the chances of state policy being overturned by public vote is a long shot.
—Alice Jones Webb, Outdoor Life, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cougar 
Shafaq Patel, Axios, 10 Sep. 2024
The incident comes after a 21-year-old man was killed by a cougar that attacked him and his 18-year-old in May in Northern California's El Dorado National Forest, about 52 miles northeast of Sacramento.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2024
Scientists and conservationists say this wildlife passage will also be crucial to restoring gene flow among small, isolated populations of cougars trapped south of the freeway in the Santa Monica Mountains, and cougars confined to the north in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains.
—Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2024
And since many Californians care deeply about protecting the state’s mountain lions, issuing dramatic displays of public grief when a 12-year-old urban cougar was euthanized after being struck by a car, the chances of state policy being overturned by public vote is a long shot.
—Alice Jones Webb, Outdoor Life, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cougar
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cougar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Cougar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cougar. Accessed 18 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cougar
noun
cou·gar
ˈkü-gər 
also -ˌgär
plural cougars also cougar
: a large powerful brownish yellow cat formerly widespread in the Americas but no longer found in many areas
called also catamount, mountain lion, panther, puma
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