paw

1 of 2

noun

ˈpȯ

Synonyms of paw next

: the foot of a quadruped (such as a lion or dog) that has claws

broadly : the foot of an animal

: a human hand especially when large or clumsy

paw

2 of 2

verb

pawed; pawing; paws

transitive verb

: to touch or strike at with a paw

: to feel or touch clumsily, rudely, or sexually

: to scrape or beat with or as if with a hoof

: to flail at or grab for wildly

intransitive verb

: to beat or scrape something with or as if with a hoof

: to touch or strike with a paw

: to feel or touch someone or something clumsily, rudely, or sexually

: to flail or grab wildly

: to search especially carelessly or roughly

pawed through the box of discount items

Example Sentences

Noun The dog injured his paw. Verb The bull was pawing the dirt. The celebrity couple was pawed by a mob of adoring fans. She claims that her boss got drunk and tried to paw her at the company Christmas party. A crowd of customers was pawing over the remaining sales items. She pawed through her purse to find her cell phone. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Before Hemsworth and Pataky reintroduced the little marsupials to Australia, the last time a Tasmanian devil set a paw on Australia's mainland had been over 3,000 years ago. —

Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 17 May 2023 The dog's paw touched the loaded shotgun, discharging the weapon and killing Gevrekoglu at close range, the newspaper said. —

Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2023 Craig Saffoe, a curator of large carnivores at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, likens the retractable claws to switchblades, adding that each digit of a jaguar’s or leopard’s paw has a claw attached to it by a ligament. —

Jacquelyne Germain, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Nov. 2022 There were also pet DNA tests and portable paw cleaners among the most enticing sales last time around. —

Sara Coughlin, SELF, 11 Oct. 2022 This discourse can be traced back to April 2017, when a group called the Furry Raiders — who wore red armbands with black paw prints on top of their fursuits, which some said evoked a Nazi uniform — was planning on attending a convention called Rocky Mountain Fur Con. —

Elisabeth Garber-paul, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2022 My policy is not to touch anyone’s dog without asking permission or sensing a clear invitation to do so, such as muddy paws on my pant legs. —

Sue Wunder, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 May 2023 Soft fur, soulful eyes, playful hijinks and generous cuddles, a friend with four paws. —

Teresa M. Hanafin, BostonGlobe.com, 3 May 2023 However, Chessies are renowned swimmers due to their waterproof coats and webbed paws, which might be how Tommy managed to survive where others did not. —

David Reamer | Alaska History, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Apr. 2023

Verb

The dogs are crossbred from sociable huskies and hardier Greenland dogs and are baying and pawing for attention. —

Taymour Soomro Scott Conarroe, New York Times, 10 May 2023 Trenches, a few foundations and an excavator pawing at a mountain of dirt are the only indication that, if all goes to plan, this will be the site of 90 new townhomes next year. —

Ben Christopher, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 May 2023 Nate is ushered into Rupert’s (Anthony Head) private world and introduced to a model as a post-victory perk (eww), while the owner paws at his assistant (double eww). —

Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Apr. 2023 Same goes for soybeans, and if the snow isn’t too deep, deer will paw it away to get to waste grain in both corn and bean fields. —

Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 31 Jan. 2023 Cat lovers know felines like to play and paw at each other occasionally, but sometimes the behavior can escalate. —

Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 6 July 2013 These challenges can range from upset stomach to frequent itching, hair loss, and even paw biting (just to name a few). —

Ysolt Usigan, Woman's Day, 11 Jan. 2023 Dogs with dental problems may have trouble eating and may paw at their mouths or drool excessively. —

Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2022 Best pals love to ride along in cars with their owners, and this waterproof universal dog seat cover keeps the slobber and paw prints to a minimum. —

Jon Langston, Car and Driver, 15 Nov. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'paw.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.