Illustration of mastiff
: any of a breed of very large massive powerful smooth-coated dogs that are apricot, fawn, or brindle and are often used as guard dogs
Examples of mastiff in a Sentence
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The Continental Kennel Club says the Fila Brasileiro is a powerful guardian breed developed in Brazil from bloodhounds, mastiffs, Portuguese mastiffs, and the extinct Bullenbeisser.
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Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
After the tragedy, Gibson's attorney said the actor had since rehomed his beloved mastiffs.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Located in the elegant Evasion Mont Blanc, there are nearly 250 miles of slopes spread over four mastiffs to ski here, and well, to plot.
—Kathleen Rellihan, Outside, 5 Sep. 2025
The Guinness World Record for most puppies in one litter belongs to Tia, a Neapolitan mastiff who gave birth to 24 puppies on Nov. 29, 2004, in Manea, U.K.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
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Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
After the tragedy, Gibson's attorney said the actor had since rehomed his beloved mastiffs.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Located in the elegant Evasion Mont Blanc, there are nearly 250 miles of slopes spread over four mastiffs to ski here, and well, to plot.
—Kathleen Rellihan, Outside, 5 Sep. 2025
The Guinness World Record for most puppies in one litter belongs to Tia, a Neapolitan mastiff who gave birth to 24 puppies on Nov. 29, 2004, in Manea, U.K.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mastiff
Cite this Entry
“Mastiff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mastiff. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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mastiff
noun
mas·tiff
ˈmas-təf 
: any of a breed of large powerful smooth-coated dogs often used as watchdogs and guard dogs
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