as in animal
an animal that only eats plants
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Recent Examples of herbivore
Weed Control Because gophers are herbivores, the less vegetation there is around to attract them, the better.
—
David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 11 Apr. 2026
The herbivores arrived on the planet during the aftermath of the End-Permian Mass Extinction about 252 million years ago.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
In a more general sense, a carnivore is any animal (or plant; see carnivorous plant) that eats other animals, as opposed to a herbivore, which eats plants.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The anthocyanin pigments that predominate in dark leaves also protect them from UV damage and, due to their toxicity when highly concentrated, deter herbivores.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for herbivore
David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 11 Apr. 2026
The herbivores arrived on the planet during the aftermath of the End-Permian Mass Extinction about 252 million years ago.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
In a more general sense, a carnivore is any animal (or plant; see carnivorous plant) that eats other animals, as opposed to a herbivore, which eats plants.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The anthocyanin pigments that predominate in dark leaves also protect them from UV damage and, due to their toxicity when highly concentrated, deter herbivores.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for herbivore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for herbivore
Noun
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An Irvine animal trainer and his girlfriend were convicted of killing 11 dogs in their care and cremating their bodies to conceal how the pets died.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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McCoy wasn’t sure what killed the animals, but said it was likely tied to the fire in the home.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Noun
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The artist’s father, Kenneth, was a conscientious objector in the Second World War; his mother, Laura, was a strict vegetarian.—
Mark Rozzo,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
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Pedersen says that the museum contacted a scent fabricator, who recommended that the best way to mimic the droppings of this large, plant-eating beast would be to use the scent excreted by a non-extinct, similarly large vegetarian.—
RJ Mackenzie,
Popular Science,
11 June 2026
Noun
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While technically more of a tote bag than a true weekender, this roomy travel bag is made from vegan leather and comes in a range of gorgeous, expensive-looking colors, including a dark red that’s similar to the plum color of my Juliette weekender.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
17 June 2026
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One of the most famed vegan restaurants in the country, the eatery has unveiled a new concept focused on prix-fixe dinners and a rapidly changing menu.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Moreover, in every case, the ancestors were either insectivores or carnivores, with insect-eaters making the shift about three times more often than carnivores.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
ArsTechnica,
20 Aug. 2025
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Belonging to the same group of mammals as sloths and anteaters, armadillos are voracious insectivores that eat large numbers of beetles, grubs, ants, termites, and other insects, grabbing them with their sticky tongues.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
18 July 2025
Noun
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The show's first season, centered around retirement community residents who band together to discover a dark truth of their community following the sighting of a monstrous creature, was met with positive reviews and has been among the streamer's weekly Top 10 since its premiere.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
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Keystone herbivore species such as the American bison, elk and mule deer live in grasslands and help to regulate the rich plant biota for other creatures to thrive, Keyser said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Noun
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The brain as a black box In the race to understand our brains, Danionella has some key advantages over other more common lab critters like rodents.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
16 June 2026
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These graveyards form when whale carcasses fall to the sea floor, becoming a sustaining snack for nearby critters.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Noun
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There be beasties beyond US Route 93, bigger than my vision could handle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
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My bathtub seems to be a place these cute beasties like to hang out.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Herbivore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/herbivore. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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