cat

noun

ˈkat How to pronounce cat (audio)
Definition of catnext
1
as in kitten
a small domestic animal known for catching mice the family's cat did an exemplary job of keeping the house and yard free of all rodents

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in male
an adult male human being he was one cool cat driving around in his new sports car

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 cat True Anomaly’s Jackal satellite, also known as Panther, played the cat-and-mouse game with another spacecraft named Puma, based on Rocket Lab’s Pioneer satellite platform. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 30 July 2026 Gellar posed aboard a boat with the bright blue Mediterranean behind her, resting against the vessel while wearing black cat-eye sunglasses. — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026 With an interior volume of over 400 GT, the cat offers up more than 7,100 square feet of living and deck space. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 29 July 2026 So knowing the bond and the personality of your dog or your cat. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cat
  1. kitten
  2. male
  3. kitty
  4. guy
  5. feline
  6. gentleman
  7. dude
Noun
  • Puppies, kittens, senior pets, and brachycephalic breeds are at higher risk.
    — Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • While on Instagram, notice that there are kittens up for adoption.
    — Ginny Hogan, New Yorker, 21 July 2026
Definition of kitten
Noun
  • The filmmakers have conceived a world that is both funny and extreme, navigating themes of bodily autonomy for both males and females through the playful and the monstrous.
    — William Earl, Variety, 25 July 2026
  • The sterile male flies mated with fertile female flies, but the interactions didn’t produce offspring, decreasing the overall fly population.
    — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 24 July 2026
Definition of male
Noun
  • Vets recommend using pheromone sprays as a safer alternative to quell a kitty's anxiety.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 28 July 2026
  • Loan pools like the Chinese hui, the Japanese tanomoshi and the Korean kye involve groups of investors who pay into a kitty that is then doled out on a rotating basis.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of kitty
Noun
  • But since quarterback is easily the most important position on the field, NFL teams routinely sign those guys to contract extensions well before their fifth-year option runs out.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
  • Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor, Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke and all those guys.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
Definition of guy
Noun
  • On the flip side, grooming can also be used to send a stern message, the study found, particularly in the felines’ display of asymmetrical body postures such as one cat leaning over the other one.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 20 July 2026
  • When the rescue team found the cat, its eyes were caked with dust and debris, and after extraction, the feline received hydration and medical care.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
Definition of feline
Noun
  • The Knicks claiming the 2026 NBA championship in an emphatic 4-1 gentleman’s sweep of the San Antonio Spurs sent the Eastern Conference into a frenzy.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 25 July 2026
  • The program is structured around four themes, The Lawn, The Garden, The Stage and The Gallery, drawn from Sir Thomas Elyot’s 1531 The Boke Named the Governour, the founding text of the English gentleman ideal.
    — Rachel Dube, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of gentleman
Noun
  • How different are the dude-skewing, sci-fi-loving core audiences for these movies?
    — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 30 July 2026
  • There’s hippie dudes and Patagonia dudes but also corporate lawyer dudes looking for a night off.
    — Claire Howorth, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026
Definition of dude

Phrases Containing cat

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casuistic
cat
cat's cradle
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Cite this Entry

“Cat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cat. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cat

Nglish: Translation of cat for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cat

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