carnivore

noun

Definition of carnivorenext
as in omnivore
an animal that eats meat; a meat eater
—sometimes used humorously to refer to people who eat meat Many of my friends are vegetarians, but I'm a carnivore.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of carnivore Both minks and otters are mustelids, a family of carnivores that also includes badgers, weasels, and wolverines. — Kassia Bonesteel, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Chef Angie Mar made the Beatrice Inn a meat Mecca for downtown NYC carnivores. — Tony Sachs, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026 The rare baby boy was born Sunday after seven hours of labor and is doing well, said Matthey Lenyo, the zoo’s curator of primates and carnivores. — Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 30 May 2026 Birds also have a beak and no teeth, and that doesn’t stop an eagle from being a carnivore. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for carnivore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carnivore
  1. omnivore
  2. animal
  3. insectivore
  4. creature
  5. critter
  6. beastie
Noun
  • The speckled omnivores can weigh upwards of 10 pounds, largely thanks to a diet that regularly includes eggs, small animals, fruits, and vegetables.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 June 2026
  • North American river otters are omnivores, feeding on fish, turtles, crabs, mollusks, birds, oysters, shellfish, crayfish, frogs, rodents and insects.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Definition of omnivore
Noun
  • The sheriff's office's drone was used to assist in checking the approximately 28-acre property and helped identify old kennel and animal-confinement areas.
    — River Valley Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Gaspafotos/Getty Images His team selection against Forest suggests the head coach is cognizant of Tottenham’s declining effectiveness as a set-piece animal.
    — Elias Burke, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of animal
Noun
  • Belonging to the same group of mammals as sloths and anteaters, armadillos are voracious insectivores that eat large numbers of beetles, grubs, ants, termites, and other insects, grabbing them with their sticky tongues.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
  • Many of the bird species migrating through the Midwest are insectivores, living in the neotropics in winter to have food for survival.
    — Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
Definition of insectivore
Noun
  • More than 600 creatures are pictured, including horses, bison, deer, and aurochs, making the Lascaux caves one of the most concentrated showcases of cave art in existence.
    — Michele Metych Britannica Editors Sep. 10, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Barbara Cartland, like most successful writers, was a creature of routine.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of creature
Noun
  • Similarly, all types of daffodils — from demure jonquils to giant trumpet types — contain bitter, toxic properties that most critters know to avoid.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Near the end of the fourth episode of Adults season 2, a threesome between housemates is interrupted by a furry critter.
    — Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of critter
Noun
  • Greg and Denise are having some marital issues, but everybody needs to put other concerns aside to stay alive with nasty raptors and other hungry beasties around.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
  • And when that happens, astronomers will set about studying these new beasties with other eyes on the sky to learn more about them and hopefully understand them.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 July 2026
Definition of beastie

Browse Nearby Words

carnivals
carnivore
carnivores
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Cite this Entry

“Carnivore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carnivore. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on carnivore

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about carnivore

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