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

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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 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
  • One of the regional officials said strikes by Saudi Arabia targeted hideouts of Iraqi militias, mainly Kataib Hezbollah, after Riyadh assessed that most of the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia came from neighboring Iraq.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 May 2026
Noun
  • The birds use calls and behaviors that help direct people toward wild bees’ nests, while humans respond with their own vocal signals during the search.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 20 June 2026
  • Grab your garden hose and flood the ants out of their nests.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Remove Hiding or Nesting Spots Stacks of firewood, piles of stones, and deep layers of mulch make wonderful burrows for snakes, especially in shady, damp spots.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 June 2026
  • The snakes spend much of their time underground in the burrows of pocket gophers.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • The country is a top cultivator and exporter of greenhouse tomatoes (Mexico, China, Canada, the United States and Spain are the other power-green houses in this space, with an annual market of ~$10B growing to ~$16B by 2030).
    Sabbir Rangwala, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
  • Beach houses are the way to stay in Edisto; book one big enough to sleep the entire family and make memories to last a lifetime.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dens. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.

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