critter

noun

crit·​ter ˈkri-tər How to pronounce critter (audio)
Synonyms of critternext
informal
: an animal : creature sense 1
Most of her sublime illustrations involve hippos and pigs, which are appealing critters, especially when they have a few chocolate smudges around the mouth.People Weekly
When the wind is blowing just so, the field is set afire on three sides, and all manner of critters get flushed out of one end—snakes, possums, raccoons, and rabbits, lots of rabbits.Alexander Wolff
Flies, gnats, mosquitoes, ticks, mites and lice pester your horse year-round. If you ignore them, these critters can cause your equine friend months of misery.Charlene Strickland
sometimes used of a person
Sale admits that humans, being the relatively big-brained critters we are, cannot do without technology …M. Kujawa

Examples of critter in a Sentence

The woods are filled with skunks, raccoons, and other critters. she's so fond of every kind of critter that she ought to be a veterinarian
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mabel befriends dam-building King George (Bobby Moynihan), runs afoul of an insect queen (Meryl Streep) and meets a ton of critters, from an emoji-loving lizard to a professional killer-for-hire shark. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026 In addition to deterring unwanted visitors or critters, these flood lights have also become popular among pet owners for another purpose. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2026 Fans of Raising Hare, a memoir by Chloe Dalton that takes place in the English countryside, will be enamoured by the Urban Outfitters Bunny Toile duvet cover with an adorable storyline of the critters printed on the gauzy cotton. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 4 Mar. 2026 Pixar animators worked overtime on this one bringing the pond and the critters and humans to life. Randy Myers, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for critter

Word History

Etymology

by alteration

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of critter was in 1815

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Critter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critter. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

critter

noun
crit·​ter ˈkrit-ər How to pronounce critter (audio)
informal
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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