pup 1 of 2

Definition of pupnext

pup

2 of 2

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 pup
Noun
This sweet 6-year-old pup has been in the care of the Arizona Humane Society since January of this year after he was rescued as an injured stray. Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026 Some breweries have adapted to create third spaces, a place to mingle and play trivia with friends — and pups. Laura Turbay, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Shelter volunteer Lindsay Kaplan, 34, shared the devastating clip on TikTok (@fablinds) after taking Nikki the rescue pup out for the day. Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025 And in this year’s Superman, the sidekick pup Krypto was a digital version of director James Gunn’s own dog, Ozu, scanned for the role. Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pup
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pup
Noun
  • Offensive philosophy The Warriors chucked up 52 3-pointers (and made just 16) on Monday in Utah, a puzzlingly high number considering the Jazz’s interior defense generally provides as much resistance as a sleepy puppy.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
  • His texts and puppy-dog grins could be flirtatious or innocent.
    Judy Berman, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Unlikely Meathead, a whelp who spoke from a position of occasionally whiny, frequently wet-behind-the-ears insulation from life’s realities, Reiner had gray in his beard and a lengthy track record of using his podium for good.
    Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
  • But don’t kid yourself, this has become a year-round adventure.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Ziegler most recently served as senior vice president and general merchandise manager at Saks Global overseeing multiple women’s and kids categories for Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
    David Moin, Footwear News, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • William Tong thought a puppy dog would be innocuous.
    Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Meanwhile, quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the opposite: a big, smiling, slobbering puppy dog of a human being.
    Will Leitch, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • As an independent music artist, Kerensa is no stranger to social media—but didn’t expect Pomelo kitten to become an internet star.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Her carousel began with a photo of the Academy Award-winning actress sitting on the floor, out of frame so that the camera mostly captured her hands holding the black and white kitten up to the lens.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • These seemingly innocuous actions can kindle dry grass, potentially triggering a wildfire.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Birthday celebrations in subsequent years seem hardly to have been calculated to kindle a sense of humility.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Delivering bad news In 2001, Jesse faced a scandal for having an affair that resulted in him fathering a child.
    Rick Davis, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026
  • The 3-year-old wolf was part of the King Mountain Pack in Routt County and had fathered at least four pups.
    Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Morobe sired two daughters as part of a breeding program.
    Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Spike had sired three elephant calves at other zoos, but none survived.
    Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pup.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pup. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on pup

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster