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
Recent Examples on the Web
Bison roam freely, wild horses graze on ridges, and entire prairie dog towns pop up along the roadside.
—
Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 7 Nov. 2025
In summer, burrowing owls take over some of those prairie dog holes, and parkgoers can learn about them with a specialist.
—Billie Cohen, AFAR Media, 6 Nov. 2025
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
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Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 7 Nov. 2025
In summer, burrowing owls take over some of those prairie dog holes, and parkgoers can learn about them with a specialist.
—Billie Cohen, AFAR Media, 6 Nov. 2025
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
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 16 Nov. 2025.
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