Illustration of hellbender
hellbender
noun
hell·ben·der
ˈhel-ˌben-dər 
: a large aquatic usually brownish-gray salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) of streams of the eastern and central U.S.
Examples of hellbender in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Since the program began in 2012, more than 2,000 hellbenders have returned to Ohio’s rivers and creeks.
—
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025
Wildlife officials in Ohio have announced that 116 rare and endangered eastern hellbenders were released into the state’s waterways this summer, marking an important conservation milestone for the species.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 13 Oct. 2025
And where there are hellbenders, there’s cool, clean water.
—Michelle Mastro, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 June 2025
Conservationists scooped 17 wriggling hellbenders out of their tanks in Tennessee and took them on a journey to release the largest salamanders in North America back into the wild.
—Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hellbender
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.
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025
Wildlife officials in Ohio have announced that 116 rare and endangered eastern hellbenders were released into the state’s waterways this summer, marking an important conservation milestone for the species.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 13 Oct. 2025
And where there are hellbenders, there’s cool, clean water.
—Michelle Mastro, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 June 2025
Conservationists scooped 17 wriggling hellbenders out of their tanks in Tennessee and took them on a journey to release the largest salamanders in North America back into the wild.
—Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hellbender
Cite this Entry
“Hellbender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hellbender. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hellbender
noun
hell·ben·der
ˈhel-ˌben-dər
: a large water-dwelling salamander of streams of the eastern and central U.S.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share