pet 1 of 4

Definition of petnext
as in favorite
a person or thing that is preferred over others the teacher's pet was always getting special privileges

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pet

2 of 4

noun (2)

pet

3 of 4

adjective

pet

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verb

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 pet
Noun
The foliage releases an aroma when touched or bruised, so set potted scented geraniums along a walkway where people or pets will brush against them and release their smell. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 May 2026 Harm Wildlife If used in a garden, mothballs can expose helpful insects, mammals, pets, and people to harmful chemicals. Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026
Adjective
Trevor Frampton owns a feed and pet supply store in Santa Rosa, California, with his wife. Matt Egan, CNN Money, 7 May 2026 Critics have said Trump is spending too much time and attention on his pet projects and not enough on issues that voters care about, like the cost of living, in the run-up to the November elections. ABC News, 7 May 2026
Verb
The best way to remove ticks from your property is to keep up with general yard maintenance, especially around bushes that pets frequently brush up against. Charlotte Maracina, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026 Passengers can pet and hug the animals. Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pet
Adjective
  • Or that Salieri once masturbated over his beloved piano in an unfruitful attempt to cure his writer’s block.
    Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 8 May 2026
  • Even so, the coincidence feels like an anointing, long overdue for someone who has spent decades in just about every beloved franchise, quietly establishing himself as the most important—or at least prolific—person in genre entertainment.
    James Grebey, Time, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • Gonzalez, who was wearing a blue, button-up shirt and khaki pants, patted the back of his attorney, Jude Faccidomo.
    Grethel Aguila, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2026
  • Gonzalez, who was wearing a blue button up-shirt and khaki pants, patted the back of his attorney, Jude Faccidomo.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • When a family loses a loved one, the team fills the box with fingerprints, hair locks and heartbeat strips.
    Laura Berrios, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
  • Skeletal remains are air-dried, processed and returned to loved ones as powder in an urn or shaped as stones.
    Dorany Pineda, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • In her first varsity at-bat the next day against Lincoln-Way Central, Krauchun stroked a single up the middle.
    Tony Baranek, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Ferrer then went back to the sinker, placed the 98 mph pitch on the outside edge of the plate and Merrill stroked it to left, clearing the bases for a walk-off win in front the remnants of a sellout crowd of 46,095.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Grubs, the larval stage of beetles such as Japanese beetles and June bugs, are notorious garden pests that feed on the roots of cherished plants and grass.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 8 May 2026
  • With Grace, his cherished daughter, books framed their fleeting bond.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
Verb
  • Grudda pushed Barkow's wheelchair through the zoo, her hands caressing her mother's shoulders or pointing out the animals.
    ABC News, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Electric Bleu is French food caressed with California seasonality and the occasional pop of Aussie nostalgia.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • New episodes of Funny AF were released over the course of three weeks, culminating with the semi-final and finale airing live, during which viewers around the world were able to vote in real time for their favorite comic.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 May 2026
  • Some of your favorite musical artists are sitting this tour cycle out.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 6 May 2026
Adjective
  • The price of the precious metal has skyrocketed—briefly surpassing a record five thousand dollars an ounce earlier this spring—and, as Jennifer Wilson reports from the American West for this week’s special issue, this has led to a boom in prospecting not seen since the days of the forty-niners.
    David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
  • Rihanna's sentimental piece, of course, will never go out of style; those meaningful moments will only be more precious as time goes on!
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 11 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pet. Accessed 12 May. 2026.

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