cub

noun

ˈkəb 

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

Synonyms of cub

• novice
• apprentice
• rookie
• beginner
• freshman
• newcomer

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

Andrea showed videos on her phone of their huge boys, born just eighteen months apart, lion cubs who played high school soccer. —Allegra Goodman, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026

And there are plenty more infant critters in these Wildlife Photographer of the Year images, including a possum, a crab, kestrels and bear cubs galore. —Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026

As for the cub, a little sow, it was flown to Anchorage. —Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026

What followed was straight out of Kentucky folklore: lion cubs on the farm, backroad police chases, and a code of silence that baffled prosecutors. —Kirby Adams, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Feb. 2026

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

Phrases Containing cub

• cub reporter

Rhymes for cub

• bub
• club
• dub
• grub
• hub
• nub
• pub
• rub
• scrub
• shrub
• snub
• stub

Kids Definition

cub

noun

ˈkəb 

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

: cub scout