Illustration of prairie dog
prairie dog
noun
: any of a genus (Cynomys) of gregarious burrowing rodents of the squirrel family chiefly of central and western U.S. plains
especially
: a black-tailed rodent (C. ludovicianus) that usually lives in extensive colonial burrows
Examples of prairie dog in a Sentence
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Just like wolves, bison, pronghorns, prairie dogs, beavers, and monarch butterflies, these bears are on the list of epic species inhabiting North America — which means that any immigration- and tariff-related threats and decisions made by the region’s countries invariably affect them as well.
—
Ganesh Marín, The Dial, 7 Oct. 2025
In addition to its dramatic landscapes with layered rock formations, steep canyons, and towering spires, Badlands National Park protects an expanse of mixed-grass prairie among its 244,000 acres, where bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets live and roam.
—Dave Parfitt, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Such landscapes were once common in North America — both in the west (where prairie dog colonies provided an abundance of holes) and in Florida (where the owls generally dig their own).
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
People can contract plague after being bitten by infected fleas or touching infected animals like rats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, rabbits, mountain lions, ferrets, and even dogs and cats.
—Alice Park, Time, 21 Aug. 2025
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Ganesh Marín, The Dial, 7 Oct. 2025
In addition to its dramatic landscapes with layered rock formations, steep canyons, and towering spires, Badlands National Park protects an expanse of mixed-grass prairie among its 244,000 acres, where bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets live and roam.
—Dave Parfitt, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Such landscapes were once common in North America — both in the west (where prairie dog colonies provided an abundance of holes) and in Florida (where the owls generally dig their own).
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
People can contract plague after being bitten by infected fleas or touching infected animals like rats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, rabbits, mountain lions, ferrets, and even dogs and cats.
—Alice Park, Time, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prairie dog
Cite this Entry
“Prairie dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prairie%20dog. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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