dens

noun

plural of den
1
as in lairs
the shelter or resting place of a wild animal the foxes hid in their den until the bear finally left the area

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in hideouts
a place where a person goes to hide or to avoid others an abandoned building that is often used as a den by the city's petty criminals

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 dens Think under-stair dog dens, laundry-room cat cubbies tucked next to the dryer for warmth, and litter box enclosures hidden inside custom benches with ventilation fans that exhaust odor outside. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026 Doggy dens and cat cubbies Cozy sleeping nooks built into under-stair cavities, cabinet bases, or custom millwork, giving pets a den of their own that disappears into the architecture. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026 Our thriving food capital draws diners out with sunlit farmers markets, midnight taco stands, multigenerational kebab shops and serene sushi dens. — Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026 These drinking dens sit side by side with decades-old pubs that welcome locals and visitors with open arms (but maybe not a smile, especially in the winter). — Tanya Edwards, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026 These are important tools used for both feeding and building their dens and digging for other menu items such as mice, gophers, voles and shrews. — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026 My favorite book Tracking and the Art of Seeing taught you how to read animal signs, how to find claw marks on trees and dens in hollow logs. — Emeline Atwood, PEOPLE, 31 May 2026 State biologists are monitoring dens for signs of new pups. — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 27 May 2026 There would be heroin dens and gay bars and this underbelly of popular culture at the time. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dens
  1. lairs
  2. hideouts
  3. nests
  4. burrows
  5. houses
Noun
  • These involve raiding the lairs of hoodlum rivals, then singlehandedly dissuading them from competition.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of lairs
Noun
  • Security forces carried out a ground operation along the border late Sunday, followed by strikes against militant hideouts and safe havens, killing 29 fighters, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said.
    — Abdul Qahar Afghan, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
  • Pakistani security forces carried out a ground operation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border late Sunday, followed by strikes against militant hideouts and safe havens, killing 29 fighters, Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 June 2026
Definition of hideouts
Noun
  • Humans have sought out these nests for nearly a century in Florida.
    — Alex Harris July 8, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026
  • Heavy rain can drive pests like ants and rodents into your home as their outdoor nests flood.
    — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Definition of nests
Noun
  • Heavy rain can lead to flooding, and even minor floods can destroy outdoor habitats, like ant hills and rodent burrows.
    — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 8 July 2026
  • Kisatchie National Forest was selected as the release site because of its abundant underground shelters, like tree stump holes and gopher burrows, appropriate for the Louisiana pine snake’s needs.
    — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026
Definition of burrows
Noun
  • Under France’s legislative process, however, the National Assembly has the final say when the two houses of parliament disagree.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 July 2026
  • Off Nine Mile Road, his 7,500-square-foot building houses people from the age of 18 to people over 60.
    — Julia Avant, CBS News, 14 July 2026
Definition of houses

Browse Nearby Words

de novo
dens
dense
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Cite this Entry

“Dens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dens. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dens

Nglish: Translation of dens for Spanish Speakers

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