Illustration of raccoon
- raccoon 1a
variants
or less commonly racoon
plural raccoon or raccoons also racoon or racoons
1
a
: a small nocturnal carnivore (Procyon lotor) of North America that is chiefly gray, has a black mask and bushy ringed tail, lives chiefly in trees, and has a varied diet including small animals, fruits, and nuts
b
: the pelt of this animal
2
: any of several animals resembling or related to the raccoon
Examples of raccoon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lesch chose to focus on one of these traits — snout length — to determine whether raccoons in urban environments that share space with humans might be diverging from their country kin.
—
Amanda Schupak, CNN Money, 24 Nov. 2025
Just days after the pepper spray incident, a video circulated showing people outside the Portland ICE facility wearing inflatable bear, unicorn, dinosaur and raccoon costumes, dancing to raucous music in front of a line of law enforcement officers clad in riot gear.
—Anya M. Galli Robertson, The Conversation, 21 Nov. 2025
Lesch would like to investigate further, perhaps trapping raccoons and comparing the genetics or stress hormones between urban and rural animals.
—Marina Wang, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2025
Elizabeth Heffron and William DeLeo, who appeared to be walking on a pier, spotted the raccoon trying to stay afloat in the waters below them, according to Associated Press.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
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Amanda Schupak, CNN Money, 24 Nov. 2025
Just days after the pepper spray incident, a video circulated showing people outside the Portland ICE facility wearing inflatable bear, unicorn, dinosaur and raccoon costumes, dancing to raucous music in front of a line of law enforcement officers clad in riot gear.
—Anya M. Galli Robertson, The Conversation, 21 Nov. 2025
Lesch would like to investigate further, perhaps trapping raccoons and comparing the genetics or stress hormones between urban and rural animals.
—Marina Wang, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2025
Elizabeth Heffron and William DeLeo, who appeared to be walking on a pier, spotted the raccoon trying to stay afloat in the waters below them, according to Associated Press.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for raccoon
Cite this Entry
“Raccoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/raccoon. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
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