dog

noun, often attributive

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\ ˈdȯg

, ˈdäg

Definition of dog

(Entry 1 of 4)

1a : canid wolves, foxes, and other dogs especially : a highly variable domestic mammal (Canis familiaris) closely related to the gray wolf the family's pet dog

b : a male dog dogs and bitches also : a male usually carnivorous mammal

2a : a worthless or contemptible person

b : fellow, chap a lazy dog you lucky dog

3a : any of various usually simple mechanical devices for holding, gripping, or fastening that consist of a spike, bar, or hook

b : andiron

4 : uncharacteristic or affected stylishness or dignity put on the dog

5 capitalized, astronomy : either of the constellations Canis Major or Canis Minor

6 dogs plural, anatomy : feet rest his tired dogs

7 dogs plural : ruin going to the dogs

8 : one inferior of its kind the movie was a dog : such as

a : an investment not worth its price

b : an undesirable piece of merchandise

9 : an unattractive person especially : an unattractive girl or woman

10 : hot dog sense 1 bought two dogs and a beer

dog

adjective

Definition of dog (Entry 2 of 4)

1 : canine dog breeders a dog collar

2 : having an inferior or inauthentic quality : spurious dog rhyme especially, languages : unlike that used by native speakers or writers dog Latin dog French

dog

verb

dogged\ ˈdȯgd

, ˈdägd \; dogging

Definition of dog (Entry 3 of 4)

transitive verb

1a : to hunt, track, or follow like a hound dogged her every move

b : to worry as if by pursuit with dogs : plague dogged by his past failures

c : to bother or pester persistently dogged him about his grades

2 : to fasten with a simple mechanical device consisting of a spike, bar, or hook : to fasten with a dog (see dog entry 1 sense 3a) dogged down the hatch

dog it

: to fail to do one's best : goldbrick

dog

adverb

Definition of dog (Entry 4 of 4)

informal

: extremely, utterly dog cheap —sometimes used in combination In plain West Virginia-speak, the situation is dog-ugly.— Mitch Vingle — see also dog-tired

Other Words from dog Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About dog

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Synonyms & Antonyms for dog

Synonyms: Noun

canine,
doggy
(or doggie),
hound,
pooch,
tyke
(also tike)

Synonyms: Verb

Antonyms: Verb

Examples of dog in a Sentence

Noun That dog barks all day long. children playing with the family dog wild dogs such as the Australian dingo They say she's a real dog. 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: Noun But, from Sinclair, Nadim quickly learned that finishes don’t have to be fancy, just efficient. After Grosso scored the winning penalty, Sinclair rushed onto the field with her arms up in joy and jumped onto the Canadian dog pile. — Kyle Pinnell For The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 15 Aug. 2021 Other Olympic athletes joked in the comments section that Dressel's dog would be a fierce competitor against them. — Naledi Ushe, PEOPLE.com, 14 Aug. 2021 But this blanket decision is affecting dog rescue missions who are trying to rescue dogs from China among other places. — Mallika Kallingal, CNN, 14 Aug. 2021 Is your choice of dog food putting Fido at risk of deadly heart disease? — David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Aug. 2021 Last month's stabbing deaths of an Atlanta dog owner and her pet remained unsolved Thursday despite a total of $20,000 in reward offers from city police and a donor to the animal advocacy group PETA. — David Aaro, Fox News, 13 Aug. 2021 Throughout the confrontation, which was captured on video, Marchand’s dogs stood nearby while an officer tried to lead them into a wire dog cage. — NBC News, 13 Aug. 2021 Additionally, dog and cat breeds that are susceptible to various conditions, such as hip dysplasia or kidney problems, will likely incur a higher premium. — Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2021 Days before she was fired, a dog muzzle was anonymously mailed to her office. — Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective State records show dog handler applications were submitted under ISS for dozens of guards. — Joe Mahr, chicagotribune.com, 1 Aug. 2019 Dog beds: Hemp Vintage Stripe Envelope in Black; harrybarker.com. — Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2013 For entertainment, there will be dog races, a police K-9 demonstration, dogs splashing into water and Repticon, a showing of exotic pets, consisting of reptiles, insects and amphibians. — Louis Casiano Jr., Orange County Register, 28 Apr. 2017 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb That reputation was already beginning to dog him even at the height of his fame and popularity; one irate Midwestern reader complained that his book recommendations amounted to force feeding marshmallows to Americans. — Mark Peikert, Town & Country, 6 Aug. 2021 But an Associated Press review of hundreds of pages of public records tied to Walker's business ventures and his divorce, including many not previously reported, sheds new light on a turbulent personal history that could dog his Senate bid. — Brian Slodysko, Star Tribune, 23 July 2021 Texas Governor Greg Abbott did not endear himself to dog lovers on either side of the aisle this week. — BostonGlobe.com, 23 June 2021 The backdrop was in stark contrast to photos taken two years earlier at Oracle Park, where the section, thanks to the Giants, annually holds its championship game and where the Cardinals regularly dog pile after the final out. — Mitch Stephens, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 May 2021 The bigger and growing issue with Tatis is the rough-and-tumble intersection of his full-throttle game and injuries — all different, 148 games in — that continue to dog him. — Bryce Miller Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2021 Perhaps that is why, early on, Barbara became known as a bully, a characteristic that would dog her all her life. — Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2021 Earlier this morning, Berenberg, the German investment bank, lowered its full-year eurozone GDP by 0.3%, blaming the effects of lockdown and restrictions that continue to dog the bloc's biggest economies. — Bernhard Warner, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2021 Also, an arrest or conviction can dog people for years and thwart their job prospects. — Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2021

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

First Known Use of dog

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1519, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1526, in the meaning defined above

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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster

Dictionary Entries Near dog

dofunny

dog

dog's age

Statistics for dog

Last Updated

17 Aug 2021

Cite this Entry

“Dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dog. Accessed 24 Aug. 2021.

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More Definitions for dog

dog

noun

\ ˈdȯg

Kids Definition of dog

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a domestic animal that eats meat and is closely related to the wolves

2 : any of the group of mammals (as wolves, foxes, and jackals) to which the domestic dog belongs

3 : person sense 1 You lucky dog!

dog

verb

dogged; dogging

Kids Definition of dog (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to hunt, track, or follow like a hound I dogged them all the way.

2 : pester

3 : to cause problems for Injuries dogged the team.

dog

noun, often attributive

\ ˈdȯg

Medical Definition of dog

: a highly variable carnivorous domesticated mammal of the genus Canis (C. familiaris) closely related to the common wolf (Canis lupus) broadly : any member of the family Canidae