pet 1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈpet How to pronounce pet (audio)
Definition of petnext
as in favorite
a person or thing that is preferred over others the teacher's pet was always getting special privileges

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pet

2 of 4

noun (2)

as in pouts
a state of resentful silence or irritability the teenager stalked off in a pet after being refused permission to go the movies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pet

3 of 4

adjective

as in beloved
granted special treatment or attention spent my free time on my pet project

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pet

4 of 4

verb

as in to pat
to touch or handle in a tender or loving manner a cat who loves to be petted

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 pet
Noun
Shopping for a washable sofa cover built for pets means weighing fit, waterproofing and price against the chaos your couch actually sees. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026 The Real Simple team used it for months in a home with two kids and two cats and called it a lifesaver for juggling snack-happy toddlers and curious pets. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Earmarks, also commonly known as pork-barrel spending, allow lawmakers to advance pet projects in their districts with little oversight. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026 Housed within a residential tower, the hotel is also pet-friendly—expect to share the elevator with both business travelers and designer dogs. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
Guests can explore the property, pet and feed the horses or pay extra for horsemanship and riding lessons. — Olivianna Calmes, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026 Kenzie assumed the creature was a type of legless lizard native to Europe and started petting it. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pet
  1. favorite
  2. pouts
  3. beloved
  4. pat
  5. darling
  6. loved
  7. stroke
  8. cherished
Noun
  • Five Post Opinions staff members share which scary movies are their favorites.
    — Washington Post Opinions, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Three prominent names in contemporary Christian music join forces for a holiday concert, bringing together decades of Christmas music and familiar favorites.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of favorite
Noun
  • Most of the time, Mark just flails, complains, and pouts like a giant baby, and Affleck’s twitchy, rapid-fire delivery can’t give the character any life or depth.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Interspersed with Mellencamp’s idiosyncratic views of himself were old press shots of the singer, many without a shirt or showcasing pouts and flexed biceps, that fit the song’s wry message.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of pouts
Adjective
  • But many of us have buried our beloved pets in our yards beneath new trees as an alternative to cremation.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
  • For this year’s show at Compton Verney, Cadogan has taken inspiration from British people who’ve written to her about losing beloved trees in their own gardens, or public spaces.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of beloved
Verb
  • This refusal to look directly at the shadows is all the more aggravating given how often The Mosquito Bowl pats itself on the back for being clear-eyed.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In 2022, the paparazzi leaked photos of the two holding hands, nestled into each other at a New York bar, and Holmes patting Robach on the rear.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of pat
Noun
  • Today, the Mexico City GP is recognized as one of the Formula 1 circuit’s intercontinental darlings.
    — Alan Chazaro, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Perhaps these Brewers aren’t some small-market darling, after all.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of darling
Adjective
  • As investigators search for answers, a restaurant is stepping in to help grieving families and those with loved ones in the hospital.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Friends and loved ones are mourning the man who fell to his death Monday while riding a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.
    — Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of loved
Verb
  • White stroked a 3-pointer and waved his arms over his head to the crowd.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The young woman on the left strokes her hair and tells her not to be nervous.
    — Anna Griffin, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of stroke
Adjective
  • Weigand spends much of his time on house calls, reviving cherished heirlooms that have long fallen silent.
    — La'Tasha Givens, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • In a Tuesday social media post, Kansas City’s Turnsol Books described Spiegel as a cherished member of the store’s community.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of cherished

Phrases Containing pet

Browse Nearby Words

pesty
pet
petcock
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pet. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on pet

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pet

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All