as in favorites
a person or thing that is preferred over others
the teacher's pet was always getting special privileges
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pats
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner
a cat who loves to be petted
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 pets
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Emily Adams, a PetSmart public relations specialist, said the Ramona store will span about 17,000 square feet and contain an assortment of pet care essentials for cats, dogs, fish, birds, reptiles and small pets.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2026
County officials are also asking residents to avoid using fertilizer during the rainy season and to always pick up after their pets.
—Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 20 May 2026
The dogs still living around the exclusion zone are likely descendants of pets left behind after residents surrounding the Chernobyl power plant fled the region in a hurry, Mousseau said.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 20 May 2026
Officials advised residents to buy mushrooms from grocery stores and other retailers and to keep children and pets away from wild mushrooms.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
But the market often relies on cruelty and abuse, some species are rare or endangered in the wild, and wild animals are, after all, wild animals who aren't suitable to keep as pets.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 20 May 2026
Take your pets with you if time permits.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
An evacuation center for residents and pets has been opened at the Chino Hills Community Center, at 14250 Peyton Drive.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Charlotte Maracina, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
This method creates a durable, washable bed that pets love.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 13 Mar. 2026
Transmission most often occurs when people or pets ingest food or water contaminated with raccoon feces.
—Amy Corral, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
Transmission most often occurs when people or pets ingest food or water contaminated with raccoon feces.
—Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Participants dress head-to-toe in pink tutus and wigs, pets sport pink ribbons, and there’s even a Pink Soup Parade, complete with stilt walkers, marching bands, and dancers.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2025
Feed pets indoors whenever possible.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Dec. 2025
Adoptable pets with black fur are less likely to be adopted, an article from Adopt a Report found.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025
Sometimes pets like to use fringe as toys, so be extra cautious with cats and dogs.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
Furniture, pets, and the residents themselves infuse the images with both ambiguity and meaning, creating a rich mosaic of city life across ages, backgrounds, and boroughs.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Emily Adams, a PetSmart public relations specialist, said the Ramona store will span about 17,000 square feet and contain an assortment of pet care essentials for cats, dogs, fish, birds, reptiles and small pets.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2026
County officials are also asking residents to avoid using fertilizer during the rainy season and to always pick up after their pets.
—Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 20 May 2026
The dogs still living around the exclusion zone are likely descendants of pets left behind after residents surrounding the Chernobyl power plant fled the region in a hurry, Mousseau said.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 20 May 2026
Officials advised residents to buy mushrooms from grocery stores and other retailers and to keep children and pets away from wild mushrooms.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
But the market often relies on cruelty and abuse, some species are rare or endangered in the wild, and wild animals are, after all, wild animals who aren't suitable to keep as pets.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 20 May 2026
Take your pets with you if time permits.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
An evacuation center for residents and pets has been opened at the Chino Hills Community Center, at 14250 Peyton Drive.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 14 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
This method creates a durable, washable bed that pets love.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 13 Mar. 2026
Transmission most often occurs when people or pets ingest food or water contaminated with raccoon feces.
—Amy Corral, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
Transmission most often occurs when people or pets ingest food or water contaminated with raccoon feces.
—Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Participants dress head-to-toe in pink tutus and wigs, pets sport pink ribbons, and there’s even a Pink Soup Parade, complete with stilt walkers, marching bands, and dancers.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 5 Dec. 2025
Feed pets indoors whenever possible.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Dec. 2025
Adoptable pets with black fur are less likely to be adopted, an article from Adopt a Report found.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025
Sometimes pets like to use fringe as toys, so be extra cautious with cats and dogs.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pets
Noun
-
Memorable concerts have included a 2019 interdisciplinary arts program featuring everything from music for two pianos to dance and children’s favorites, as well as a 2020 performance celebrating the installation of the bells.—
Susan Soldavin,
Baltimore Sun,
16 May 2026
-
Newcomers looking to grasp the eclectic essence of Eurovision and its interplay of pop and politics should look no further than two of the fan favorites to emerge during a week that saw two semifinals ahead of the grand finale.—
Jill Lawless,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Tuanzebe buries his head in Bakambu’s neck and pats his back repeatedly.—
Franklin Leonard,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
-
But when Sandel saw more chimps appear, the primates did not reunite in their typical fashion of loud screaming, pats on the back and holding hands.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
My beautiful girls, my darlings, who are suddenly women.—
Jack Irvin,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
-
Atop the bill is powerhouse singer-songwriter/indie artist Thao, the eponymous title of Thao Nguyen, centerpiece of indie darlings Thao & the Get Down Stay Down.—
Aaron Davis,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
And through all this, Saariaho’s elaborately beautiful orchestration scintillates, jabs, caresses, and swerves, giving all that vivid misery a sheen of lyric glamour.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Also starring Jack Palance and Fritz Lang, the behind-the-scenes drama about the making of a movie begins with Bardot lying nude on a bed as her husband (Michel Piccoli) caresses and praises her body.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
When Robbie first strokes the plush walls, her Cathy stares with the appropriate mix of awe and terror.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 Feb. 2026
-
For an artisanal twist, look no further than Ezcaray Matisse throw that looks as if Georgia O’Keeffe applied the paint brush strokes herself.—
Kristine Hansen,
Architectural Digest,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pets. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
