animal rights

plural noun

: rights (as to fair and humane treatment) regarded as belonging fundamentally to all animals
animal rightist
-ˈrī-tist How to pronounce animal rights (audio)
noun

Examples of animal rights in a Sentence

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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.
While animal rights advocates have pushed for Congress to adopt legislation that would phase out the fur industry, buying out farmers over the course of a year to end the practice once and for all, winds in Congress are blowing the other direction. — Nat Lash, ProPublica, 23 Oct. 2026 The vote, which is veto-proof, was met with praise by animal rights groups and park advocates who have long called for the ban citing several incidents where horses crashed or caused disturbances. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 Efforts to ban the carriages have gone one for decades, as animal rights activists have long criticized the industry. — Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 13 Oct. 2026 The move comes after years of criticism from animal rights advocates who charge that the horses are overworked, get easily scared and live in inadequate stables with drivers flouting city regulations. — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for animal rights

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of animal rights was in 1845

Rhymes for animal rights

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Browse Nearby Words

animal pole
animal rights
animal rouge
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Cite this Entry

“Animal rights.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/animal%20rights. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on animal rights

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about animal rights

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