den

noun \ ˈden \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

1 : the lair of a wild usually predatory animal

2 a (1) : a hollow or cavern used especially as a hideout

(2) : a center of secret activity

b : a small usually squalid dwelling

3 : a comfortable usually secluded room

4 : a subdivision of a Cub Scout pack made up of two or more boys

5 British : a small structure built by children as a place to play, hide, or provide shelter

We roamed the fields and made dens in the hedges, dragging old logs and brushwood with scraps of canvas and rope to make shelters to hide in.
—Pat Smith

See den defined for English-language learners

See den defined for kids

Examples of den in a Sentence

The bears will spend most of the winter in their den.
The TV is in the den.
He spent most evenings in the den reading and smoking his pipe.

Recent Examples of den from the Web

Officials were optimistic because beavers were flourishing, beaver dams make good otter habitats and otters use their dens as resting spots.

— frank abderholden, Lake County News-Sun, "Otters making a comeback in Lake County and throughout the state," 11 Apr. 2018
Bears spend the winter months in dens as a result of a lack of available food in the winter, the National Park said in a comment about the video.

— david caraccio, sacbee, "A black bear watches a bird visit his hole in a tree, and it's adorably caught on camera | The Sacramento Bee," 2 Apr. 2018
She was rescued from her den at the Columbus Zoo after her mother abandoned her and hand raised by keepers.

— the oregonian/oregonlive, OregonLive.com, "Nora the polar bear reporter Kale Williams collects another journalism honor," 22 Mar. 2018
The era when some of Yekaterinburg's neighborhoods were outdoor drug dens at night may be gone, but security at Fame illustrated the lingering jitters in the gay community.

— nataliya vasilyeva, Fox News, "At gay nightclub, Russian election draws apathetic response," 18 Mar. 2018
Maybe the den is painted in the school colors of your most-despised college team.

— kenya burrell-vanwormer, Houston Chronicle, "Realtor view: Avoid mistakes when shopping for a home," 9 Mar. 2018
Danny aus den Birken was good again in net in making 28 saves, but Canada struggled to break Germany's suffocating neutral-zone trap to even get into the offensive zone for quality scoring chances and couldn't cash in when there.

— stephen whyno, chicagotribune.com, "Germany stuns two-time defending Olympic hockey champion Canada in semifinals," 23 Feb. 2018
In the sunlit den, Ann Lee Stephens Sarpy's statuettes of flambeaux bearers seem poised to strut across a sideboard.

— melinda morris, NOLA.com, "Krewe of Endymion rolls in Mid-City: See photos from the parade," 11 Feb. 2018
Victoria’s den is closed to the public and has no camera because privacy is essential for the cub’s survival, the society said in a statement.

— ashley may, USA TODAY, "First polar bear cub born in UK in 25 years an 'outstanding achievement'," 3 Jan. 2018

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