puppy

noun

Definition of puppynext
as in pup

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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 puppy Blair added that many of the canines went unspayed and unneutered during that period, leading to more and more puppy births. — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Aug. 2026 The dollhouse is filled with double the paws as Gabby’s little sister Doozie and her best puppy pal Puggie arrive for their first-ever cat and dog playdate. — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 2 Aug. 2026 Invading forces threaten the country when Etna is still a puppy, and the looming war marks the abrupt end of his idyllic puppyhood. — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 Koo is also rather adorable and acts more like a giant puppy than a Mononoke Hime-esque wolf. — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for puppy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puppy
  1. pup
  2. whelp
  3. puppy dog
Noun
  • Mark Garcia, of Irvine, who won second place in the amateur category, found a mother harbor seal with her pup on a lazy afternoon at Treasure Island Beach.
    — Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The beloved pup died in 1840 and is buried on the grounds of Windsor Castle, per English Heritage.
    — Audrey Schmidt, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of pup
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
Definition of whelp
Noun
  • Kenny is super likable but kind of just follows Boyd around like a puppy dog.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Cassie is trying to become social-media famous, suggestively flashing her all-American assets online in a variety of fetishy costumes (a puppy dog, a pacifier-sucking baby).
    — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
Definition of puppy dog

Browse Nearby Words

pupping
puppy
puppy dog
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Cite this Entry

“Puppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puppy. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on puppy

Nglish: Translation of puppy for Spanish Speakers

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