variants
also cougar
as in panthers
a large tawny cat of the wild
in many regions, suburban developments have encroached upon the habitat of the cougar
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of cougars
Animal exodus Bly Road has long been home to many animals, Hahnfeld and the Hoffs said, including cougars, eagles, owls and deer.
—
Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
In one, a therapist-like figure helps a young man through a question about how to improve communication with his mother—then starts serving him ads for hot cougars in his area.
—Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Feb. 2026
Male cougars are extremely territorial, and two landowners located near each other accounted for nine of the 31 reports.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
About 67 cougars are living in the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles, the DFW report estimates.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 28 Jan. 2026
Travelers can easily spend the entire day exploring these captivating caverns, admiring the mystical stalagmites and stalactites and looking out for wildlife like bats and cougars.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
Mountain lions are also known as cougars, pumas, panthers or catamounts, and there are projected to be 3,800 to 4,400 mountain lions currently in the wild in Colorado, the CPW noted.
—Mason Leath, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
Mountain lions — also known as cougars, pumas or catamounts — can weigh 130 pounds and grow to more than 6 feet long.
—Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
Specialists confirmed the pair of young cougars was the same cubs seen last spring; the first time cougars were known to have reproduced in Michigan in more than a century.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 18 Dec. 2025
Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2026
In one, a therapist-like figure helps a young man through a question about how to improve communication with his mother—then starts serving him ads for hot cougars in his area.
—Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Feb. 2026
Male cougars are extremely territorial, and two landowners located near each other accounted for nine of the 31 reports.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
About 67 cougars are living in the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles, the DFW report estimates.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 28 Jan. 2026
Travelers can easily spend the entire day exploring these captivating caverns, admiring the mystical stalagmites and stalactites and looking out for wildlife like bats and cougars.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
Mountain lions are also known as cougars, pumas, panthers or catamounts, and there are projected to be 3,800 to 4,400 mountain lions currently in the wild in Colorado, the CPW noted.
—Mason Leath, ABC News, 2 Jan. 2026
Mountain lions — also known as cougars, pumas or catamounts — can weigh 130 pounds and grow to more than 6 feet long.
—Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026
Specialists confirmed the pair of young cougars was the same cubs seen last spring; the first time cougars were known to have reproduced in Michigan in more than a century.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 18 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cougars
panthers
Noun
-
Our manatees, panthers, bears and countless other species rely on healthy ecosystems to survive, ecosystems that are shrinking daily due to human encroachment and legislative negligence.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Falco knew about its lore, how a panther once stalked the community for months.—
Stephen M. Deusner,
Pitchfork,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cougars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cougars. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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