pack rat
noun
1
: wood rat
especially
: a bushy-tailed rodent (Neotoma cinerea) of western North America that has well-developed cheek pouches and that hoards food and miscellaneous objects
2
: a person who collects or hoards especially unneeded items
Examples of pack rat in a Sentence
I'm a terrible pack rat. I never throw anything away.
Recent Examples on the Web
Other than the knife and a wooden artifact found in a pack rat’s nest, thought to be the shaft of an atlatl dart-throwing tool, no human artifacts or remains were ever found there.
—
Michael Ray Taylor, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2025
The pack rat, whose entire yard is filled with stuff — a total junkyard.
—Chi Varnado, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2025
After a brief hike through some scrub, Wall finds a creosote bush studded with holes at the roots — evidence of pack rats that will provide the snake with sustenance.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2024
Working from the assumption that hoarding is a damaging psychological condition, and not just an annoying habit, the researchers got previously incorrigible pack rats to take videos and photos of their treasured possessions.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 9 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for pack rat
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.
Michael Ray Taylor, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2025
The pack rat, whose entire yard is filled with stuff — a total junkyard.
—Chi Varnado, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2025
After a brief hike through some scrub, Wall finds a creosote bush studded with holes at the roots — evidence of pack rats that will provide the snake with sustenance.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2024
Working from the assumption that hoarding is a damaging psychological condition, and not just an annoying habit, the researchers got previously incorrigible pack rats to take videos and photos of their treasured possessions.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 9 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for pack rat
Cite this Entry
“Pack rat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pack%20rat. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share