Synonyms of cubnext
1
a
: a young carnivorous mammal (such as a bear, fox, or lion)
b
: a young shark
2
: a young person
3
: apprentice
especially : an inexperienced newspaper reporter

Examples of cub in a Sentence

the kind of big story that can propel a cub reporter into the stratosphere of the newspaper world assigned to teach a bunch of young cubs how to play baseball
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.
The cub, which was previously thought to be 6 months old but is actually a bit younger, spent some recovery time at the Los Angeles Zoo before Flying Tails stepped in to help. Hunter Sowards, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026 Shot in gorgeous widescreen (an unusual format for documentaries), the movie catalogs all the way people behave around what appears to be a single bear, first seen dozing with her two cubs. Peter Debruge, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026 As the sea ice melts due to climate change, the trend of polar bears getting thinner and having fewer cubs has been well documented in areas such as Baffin Bay, a stretch of ocean between Greenland and Canada’s Baffin Island, and Hudson Bay in northeastern Canada. Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026 Additionally, puppies are able to form dual identities at the very start of their lives—part human, part dog—in a way that wolf cubs are simply incapable of doing. Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cub

Word History

Etymology

probably akin to Middle English cobbe leader of a group, head — more at cob

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cub was in 1530

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cub. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

cub

noun
1
a
: a young flesh-eating mammal (as a bear, fox, or lion)
b
: a young shark
2
: a young person
3
: a person just learning a job : apprentice
a cub reporter
a cub pilot
4

More from Merriam-Webster on cub

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