BIRD DOG Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

bird-dog 1 of 2

verb

ˈbərd-ˌdȯg

Definition of bird-dog

as in to chase

to go after or on the track of suspecting infidelity, he hired a private detective to bird-dog his wife

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bird dog

2 of 2

noun

as in wolf dog

Related Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bird-dog

Verb

Zach Neto added a two-out RBI single moments later to chase Bennett.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Chestnut, a 17-time champion, is chasing another Mustard Belt after reclaiming the men’s title in 2025.

— Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of chase

Noun

That means if a wolf dog ever bites someone, euthanasia and testing may be required.

— Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
Possessing second-generation wolf dogs, defined in California as the offspring of a domestic dog and a half-wolf, half-dog hybrid — with no more than 25% wolf — is legal.

— Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 27 Jan. 2025

Definition of wolf dog

Verb

As for the hosts, mosquitoes track people (and their blood) down by detecting carbon dioxide, body heat, sweat and body odor.

— Sharon Wu, USA Today, 4 July 2026
Weeth said bootleggers purchase fireworks from manufacturers in China and who, for a fee, package the fireworks in colorful branding, which are more difficult to track and often lack proper warnings.

— Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026

Definition of track

Verb

Exonerees in Georgia have a new pathway to obtain compensation from the state, which Pugh intends to pursue, but that process takes time.

— Taylor Croft, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
While the Supreme Court ruling focused specifically on cases in West Virginia and Idaho, it is expected to have far-reaching implications for those additional 25 states — and possibly more if other states pursue similar legislation.

— Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of pursue

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

Noun

The find suggests one of NASA’s most successful planet hunters may still have plenty of surprises hiding in its archives.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 6 July 2026
In October, it was reported that the Japanese government was planning to recruit hunters to halt the rise in bear attacks.

— Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026

Definition of hunter

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.

Browse Nearby Words

birdbrains

bird-dog

bird dog

See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bird-dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bird-dog. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bird-dog

verb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes