: a hole or excavation in the ground made by an animal (such as a rabbit) for shelter and habitation
burrowed; burrowing; burrows
1
a
: to make a burrow
A fox had burrowed into the side of the hill.
b
: to progress by or as if by digging
burrowing through a pile of paperwork
3
: to conceal oneself in or as if in a burrow
1
a
: to penetrate by means of a burrow
The tunnel burrows its way under the mountain.
b
: to construct by tunneling
burrowed a dwelling
3
archaic
: to hide in or as if in a hole in the ground made by an animal for shelter and habitation : to hide in or as if in a burrow
was burrowed in his cave
burrower
noun
Examples of burrow in a Sentence
Noun
the chipmunk retreated to its burrow to have its babies
Verb
The rabbit burrowed into the side of the hill.
The frogs burrow under the mud.
The mole burrowed its way under the ground.
Recent Examples on the Web
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2024
The commission rejected a similar bid for protections roughly 20 years ago, and since then the situation has become more dire for the bird — the only owl species to nest and roost in underground burrows.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024
Karri Peifer, Axios, 24 Jan. 2025
This would be particularly handy when cownose rays descend to the seafloor to vacuum up burrowing bivalves.
—Jack Tamisiea, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for burrow 
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Noun
Their main burrow entrance is 10 to 12-inch diameter hole with burrow systems that are 30 feet in length.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2024
The commission rejected a similar bid for protections roughly 20 years ago, and since then the situation has become more dire for the bird — the only owl species to nest and roost in underground burrows.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024
Verb
One request was to burrow a tunnel under Forest Hill Avenue so folks going from the park to a nearby coffeeshop don't have to cross the street.
—Karri Peifer, Axios, 24 Jan. 2025
This would be particularly handy when cownose rays descend to the seafloor to vacuum up burrowing bivalves.
—Jack Tamisiea, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for burrow
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Dictionary Entries Near burrow
Cite this Entry
“Burrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burrow. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
burrow
1 of 2 noun
bur·row
ˈbər-ō 
ˈbə-rō
: a hole in the ground made by an animal (as a rabbit or fox) for shelter or protection
burrow
2 of 2 verb1
: to construct by tunneling
2
: to hide oneself in or as if in a burrow
3
: to move or enter by or as if by digging
burrower
noun
Medical Definition
burrow
noun
bur·row
ˈbər-(ˌ)ō, ˈbə-(ˌ)rō
: a passage or gallery formed in or under the skin by the wandering of a parasite (as the mite of scabies or a foreign hookworm)
burrow
verb
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