wild dog

noun

: any of various undomesticated canids (such as an African wild dog or a dingo) that resemble the domestic dog

Examples of wild dog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
There are snakes and hyenas and wild dogs. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026 Boating safaris and guided bush walks are also very popular here—look out for elephants, wild dogs, and lions. Elizabeth Gordon, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025 Nearly two years later, there’s still evidence at the crime scene that shook this small island country — ash on jutting rocks, melted scraps of plastic and fabric scattered in the verdant shrubbery where wild dogs stalk giant lizards. Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2025 Nothing etches itself in your heart quite like the memory of watching a pack of energetic African wild dogs frolicking, a lioness and her cubs dozing on the Kalahari with your own kids tucked in close. Kathryn Romeyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wild dog

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wild dog was in 1786

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wild dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wild%20dog. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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