1
: a strong-scented perennial mint (Nepeta cataria) that has whorls of small pale flowers in terminal spikes and contains a substance attractive to cats
2
: something very attractive
Examples of catnip in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
His works have been catnip to Hollywood for some time.
—
Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 7 May 2025
The London Zoo has sprinkled catnip around its lion enclosure to encourage its lions to move around.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
The production offers up lots of catnip for Christie stans who can whip out references to Hercule and Marple on a dime.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025
The idea that this broker who’s been his foil all season long not only isn’t brought to justice at the end of Season 2 but seems to have been empowered, and seems to [have] influence with a man who’s about to assume the presidency, was kind of catnip for us.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catnip
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Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 7 May 2025
The London Zoo has sprinkled catnip around its lion enclosure to encourage its lions to move around.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
The production offers up lots of catnip for Christie stans who can whip out references to Hercule and Marple on a dime.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025
The idea that this broker who’s been his foil all season long not only isn’t brought to justice at the end of Season 2 but seems to have been empowered, and seems to [have] influence with a man who’s about to assume the presidency, was kind of catnip for us.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catnip
Cite this Entry
“Catnip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catnip. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
catnip
noun
cat·nip
-ˌnip 
: a strong-scented herb of the mint family that is especially attractive to cats
Medical Definition
catnip
noun
cat·nip
-ˌnip
variants
also catnep
1
: a strong-scented mint (Nepeta cataria) that has small pale flowers in terminal spikes and contains a substance attractive to cats
called also cataria, catmint
2
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