Illustration of cougar
- cougar 1
plural cougars also cougar
1
: a large powerful tawny-brown cat (Puma concolor synonym Felis concolor) formerly widespread in the Americas but now reduced in number or extinct in many areas
called also catamount, mountain lion, panther, puma
2
slang
: a middle-aged woman seeking a romantic relationship with a younger man
Synonyms
Examples of cougar in a Sentence
in many regions, suburban developments have encroached upon the habitat of the cougar
Recent Examples on the Web
The dog was in the cougar’s jaws as the neighbor fired and didn’t survive the attack, a California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson told McClatchy News in a phone interview Tuesday, Jan. 14.
—
Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 15 Jan. 2025
Inside, the girl’s mother frantically yells through the glass panes to scare the cougar away, but to no avail.
—Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
As far as rom-coms go, 2024’s the year of the cougar.
—Mariam Rahmani, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
The department is working with a United States Department of Agriculture trapper to find the cougars and haze them away from the area, which usually involves hounds sniffing out the cougar’s location, the spokesperson said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cougar 
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.
Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 15 Jan. 2025
Inside, the girl’s mother frantically yells through the glass panes to scare the cougar away, but to no avail.
—Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
As far as rom-coms go, 2024’s the year of the cougar.
—Mariam Rahmani, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
The department is working with a United States Department of Agriculture trapper to find the cougars and haze them away from the area, which usually involves hounds sniffing out the cougar’s location, the spokesperson said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cougar
Articles Related to cougar
Dictionary Entries Near cougar
Cite this Entry
“Cougar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cougar. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cougar
noun
cou·gar
ˈkü-gər 
also -ˌgär
plural cougars also cougar
: a large powerful brownish yellow cat formerly widespread in the Americas but no longer found in many areas
called also catamount, mountain lion, panther, puma
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share