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
Pat Smith
denned; denning
: to live in or retire to a den
polar bears den in ice caves or snowdrifts
: to drive into a den
Denmark
Examples of den in a Sentence
Noun
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 on the Web
Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2025
After a den of thieves ransacked a rural Northern California home so many times that the owner fled in fear, the property fell into even wilder hands: a group of bears, authorities said.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025
Parks and Wildlife officials have identified four potential wolf dens this spring but have not yet confirmed how many wolf pups have been born.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for den
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Noun
The unit has two bathrooms, nine-foot ceilings, a multi-purpose den and a kitchen with all-new stainless steel Bosch appliances.
—Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2025
After a den of thieves ransacked a rural Northern California home so many times that the owner fled in fear, the property fell into even wilder hands: a group of bears, authorities said.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Verb
When wolves are denning, they’re anchored to one spot — the den — upping the chances of finding them.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025
Parks and Wildlife officials have identified four potential wolf dens this spring but have not yet confirmed how many wolf pups have been born.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for den
Cite this Entry
“Den.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/den. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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