as in boxers
one that engages in the sport of fighting with the fists
a retired pug with battered ears and swollen knuckles
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Recent Examples of pugs
Sleepy pugs and a return Rinker’s family stayed in a Huntington Beach hotel room with one bed.
—
Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Dog breeds like pugs and French and English bulldogs now have significantly altered skull shapes that result in serious, and even life-threatening, issues created by our value of aesthetics.
—New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026
This frenzy unfolded into a succession of rings, like craps tables at a casino, in which breed competitions were taking place simultaneously—churning packs of basenjis, salukis, Xoloitzcuintlis, whippets, shih tzus, rat terriers, malamutes, and pugs.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
The team then compared the 14 breeds to pugs, French bulldogs, and bulldogs.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
Airport arrivals involved a motorcade, with a luggage van, a car for the pugs, and butlers, who escorted the dogs onto the waiting private jets.
—Matt Tyrnauer, Vanity Fair, 20 Jan. 2026
Valentino and his longtime partner Giancarlo Giammetti flitted among their homes — which also included places in New York, London, Rome, Capri and Gstaad, Switzerland — traveling with their pack of pugs.
—CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
And multiple servants in white gloves to tend to the pugs.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 19 Jan. 2026
The largest groups of dog breeds entered into the competition include 149 golden retrievers, 143 dachshunds, 110 French bulldogs, 106 Chihuahuas, 105 Australian shepherds, 100 Labrador retrievers, 82 whippets, 65 Rhodesian ridgebacks, 60 Pomeranians, 58 Chinese cresteds, and 57 pugs.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Dog breeds like pugs and French and English bulldogs now have significantly altered skull shapes that result in serious, and even life-threatening, issues created by our value of aesthetics.
—New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026
This frenzy unfolded into a succession of rings, like craps tables at a casino, in which breed competitions were taking place simultaneously—churning packs of basenjis, salukis, Xoloitzcuintlis, whippets, shih tzus, rat terriers, malamutes, and pugs.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
The team then compared the 14 breeds to pugs, French bulldogs, and bulldogs.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
Airport arrivals involved a motorcade, with a luggage van, a car for the pugs, and butlers, who escorted the dogs onto the waiting private jets.
—Matt Tyrnauer, Vanity Fair, 20 Jan. 2026
Valentino and his longtime partner Giancarlo Giammetti flitted among their homes — which also included places in New York, London, Rome, Capri and Gstaad, Switzerland — traveling with their pack of pugs.
—CBS News, 19 Jan. 2026
And multiple servants in white gloves to tend to the pugs.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 19 Jan. 2026
The largest groups of dog breeds entered into the competition include 149 golden retrievers, 143 dachshunds, 110 French bulldogs, 106 Chihuahuas, 105 Australian shepherds, 100 Labrador retrievers, 82 whippets, 65 Rhodesian ridgebacks, 60 Pomeranians, 58 Chinese cresteds, and 57 pugs.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pugs
Noun
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Klitschko and his brother Vitali are both heavyweight world-champion boxers and heroes in their native Ukraine.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
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Now in production in Los Angeles, Delphi follows a group of gifted young boxers in an elite academy fighting to achieve their dreams and reach the pinnacle of the sport.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
19 May 2026
Noun
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These modern-day gladiators like to unwind by swapping Pikachus for Charmanders.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
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The find also suggests female beast hunters persisted for several decades longer than female gladiators who fought other people, Manas says.—
Taylor Mitchell Brown,
Scientific American,
19 May 2026
Noun
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The military isn’t the only government entity working with the UFC — the FBI recently hosted a training partnership with UFC fighters.—
Paula Chesley,
STAT,
3 June 2026
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Given Coker’s track record and the desire to build attention for the new MMA league and its fighters, tournaments are expected to play a key role.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pugs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pugs. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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