pup

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of pupnext
1
: a young dog
also : one of the young of various animals (such as a seal or rat)
2

pup

2 of 2

verb

pupped; pupping

intransitive verb

: to give birth to pups

Examples of pup in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Nazgul’s delightful moment caught the attention of Google, which paid tribute to the happy pup. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 Feb. 2026 Now the pup has a new forever home. Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
Big Lake Humane Society pup Shishi also will compete for Team Ruff, while Mia Muffin is on Team Fluff. Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 8 Feb. 2026 The bats have only one baby — or pup — per year. Susan Montoya Bryan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pup

Word History

Etymology

Noun

short for puppy

First Known Use

Noun

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1708, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pup was in 1542

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pup. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

pup

noun
ˈpəp
: puppy
also : one of the young of various animals (as a seal or rat)

More from Merriam-Webster on pup

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster