1
: any of a breed of hunting dogs resembling a small English foxhound and originally bred for hunting rabbits
2
: a runner on a cross-country team
: any of a genus (Circus) of slender hawks having long angled wings and long legs and feeding chiefly on small mammals, reptiles, and insects
Examples of harrier in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 18 Oct. 2024
Sign up As omnivorous eaters, an unchecked population of stoats also poses a threat to mice, rabbits, hedgehogs and birds, including Orkney's population of curlews and hen harriers.
—Abby Wilson, theweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Rockstar then packed the world with everything from skydiving and harrier jets to trucking — all within a 6×6 kilometer map, a step up from the 4×4 kilometers for GTA III and Vice City.
—Ade Adeniji, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2024
Basically, covering McMillian is like trying to cover a harrier jet in mid-flight.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 18 Oct. 2024
This coincided with the evolution of two large predatory birds: Haast’s eagle and Eyles’ harrier.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
The property looks on to a deep river valley where harrier hawks and bush falcons swoop for prey.
—Lauren Quaintance, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Feb. 2024
Mice and voles living on the land drew foxes and migratory raptors such as kestrels and harriers, who feasted on the cornucopia each time the grass was mowed.
—Cara Buckley, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2023
Around half the islands’ bird species were wiped out after humans arrived in New Zealand — including Haast’s eagle and Eyles’s harrier — opening new niches.
—Boyce Upholt, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Sep. 2022
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Noun
Basically, covering McMillian is like trying to cover a harrier jet in mid-flight.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 18 Oct. 2024
Sign up As omnivorous eaters, an unchecked population of stoats also poses a threat to mice, rabbits, hedgehogs and birds, including Orkney's population of curlews and hen harriers.
—Abby Wilson, theweek, 1 Nov. 2024
Rockstar then packed the world with everything from skydiving and harrier jets to trucking — all within a 6×6 kilometer map, a step up from the 4×4 kilometers for GTA III and Vice City.
—Ade Adeniji, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2024
Basically, covering McMillian is like trying to cover a harrier jet in mid-flight.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 18 Oct. 2024
This coincided with the evolution of two large predatory birds: Haast’s eagle and Eyles’ harrier.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
The property looks on to a deep river valley where harrier hawks and bush falcons swoop for prey.
—Lauren Quaintance, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Feb. 2024
Mice and voles living on the land drew foxes and migratory raptors such as kestrels and harriers, who feasted on the cornucopia each time the grass was mowed.
—Cara Buckley, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2023
Around half the islands’ bird species were wiped out after humans arrived in New Zealand — including Haast’s eagle and Eyles’s harrier — opening new niches.
—Boyce Upholt, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Sep. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Harrier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harrier. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
harrier
1 of 2 noun
har·ri·er
ˈhar-ē-ər 
: any of a breed of hunting dogs like a large beagle that were originally used for hunting rabbits
harrier
2 of 2 noun1
: one that harries
2
: any of various slender long-legged hawks
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