dens

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

Relevance
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 Black bears typically enter dens between October and December and reemerge between March and May, according to state wildlife officials. Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 10 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 Spaces range from glorified game rooms, sports bars, speakeasies and hunting lodges to poker dens, studios and places to showcase career or travel highlights. Marni Jameson, Arkansas Online, 22 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 While you may be tempted to blame other animals such as opossums or snakes, or even coyotes for making holes or burrows in your yard, these creatures are more likely to use existing animal holes for their dens. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dens
Noun
  • These involve raiding the lairs of hoodlum rivals, then singlehandedly dissuading them from competition.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The water, too, was wild—the Allegheny and its tributaries had yet to be dammed, and Flag Swamp was noted as one of the last hideouts for beavers in the state.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
  • Over the next few months, Hodges documented the scenery of their unusual hideouts in his art.
    Noor Anand Chawla, JSTOR Daily, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Dakar captured stunning images of the magnificent birds in flight, tending their enormous nests atop buildings and chimneys, as well as the titular bird, Silyan, as the bird was cared for by Nikola.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2025
  • Other methods to keep unwanted birds out of crops include scarecrows, sprays, nests, and noise makers.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 27 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Hedgehog burrows and transit routes.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
  • Prairie massasaugas are a subspecies of the western massasaugas and are endangered in Missouri, living in wet prairies or bottomlands with lots of crayfish burrows and grass.
    Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • That there are only three houses on this street further enhances the sense of peace and quiet that the owners will enjoy.
    James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2026
  • There were also several reports of other trees falling on houses and cars, and also of new power outages and gas leaks.
    Adam Harrington, CBS News, 14 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dens. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on dens

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster