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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
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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.
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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
And aside from these colossal creatures, The Wilds also plays a crucial role in North American wildlife conservation, with projects ranging from an American burying beetle breeding program to an initiative dedicated to rearing eastern hellbender salamanders.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
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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
And aside from these colossal creatures, The Wilds also plays a crucial role in North American wildlife conservation, with projects ranging from an American burying beetle breeding program to an initiative dedicated to rearing eastern hellbender salamanders.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 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 25 Oct. 2025.
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hellbender
noun
hell·ben·der
ˈhel-ˌben-dər
: a large water-dwelling salamander of streams of the eastern and central U.S.
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