: a carnivorous mammal (Canis familiaris) closely related to the gray wolf that has long been domesticated as a pet, occurs in a variety of sizes, colors, and coat types, and is sometimes trained to perform special tasks (such as herding, guarding, or acting as a service animal)
After 31 years of Labrador retrievers holding the title, the American Kennel Club says French bulldogs were the most popular dog in America last year.—Scott Simon
b
: any of a family (Canidae) of carnivorous mammals that includes the wolves, jackals, foxes, coyotes, and the domestic dog : canid
: any of various usually simple mechanical devices (such as an andiron or a detent) for holding, gripping, or fastening that consist of a spike, bar, or hook
4
: uncharacteristic or affected stylishness or dignity
They really put on the dog for their daughter's wedding.
Noun
That dog barks all day long.
children playing with the family dog
wild dogs such as the Australian dingo
Her latest book turned out to be a real dog.
That was a dog of a movie. Verb
He dogged her every move.
Creditors dogged him until he finally paid his bills.
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.
Noun
Fey also mocked Noem's infamous story about shooting a family dog.—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025 Lake Worth police have remined public to not approach the dog involved, according to the social media post.—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
However, non-dog companions must remain in a carrier at all times for their safety.—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2025 But there were fewer differences in sleep quality indicators between cat and non-cat owners compared to dog and non-dog owners.—L'oreal Thompson Payton, Fortune Well, 17 Mar. 2023
Verb
That spares lawmakers any real costs right away, but the upcoming holiday weekend might dog them at home with their neighbors.—Phil Elliott, Time, 8 Oct. 2025 Those claims continued to dog Israel in the second year of its conflict, as civilian casualties in Gaza climbed, mass hunger spread and the IDF repeatedly forced large numbers of Palestinians to relocate.—Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dog
Share