mastodon
noun
mas·to·don
ˈma-stə-ˌdän 
-dən
1
: any of various extinct mammals (genus Mammut synonym Mastodon) of the elephant family existing from the Miocene through the Pleistocene that are distinguished from the related mammoths chiefly by molar teeth with cone-shaped cusps
2
: one that is unusually large
Examples of mastodon in a Sentence
mom-and-pop stores just can't compete with these mastodons of retailing
Recent Examples on the Web
For example, utility workers once uncovered an ancient bone fragment from a mastodon.
—
Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Guests can take a boat tour to learn more about the area’s history — which stretches back thousands of years to early Native Americans and mastodons — or stay overnight in the Wakulla Springs Lodge, which dates back to 1937.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2025
The landmass used to host multiple forms of mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths, enormous armadillos, multiple species of sabercat, huge bison, dire wolves and many more large creatures that formed ancient ecosystems unlike anything on our planet today.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2025
First Evidence Found from Mastodon Tusk Ancient Impact on Modern-Day Ecosystem
The loss of mastodons greatly reduced seed dispersal for several of these fruit-bearing species.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 16 June 2025
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Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Guests can take a boat tour to learn more about the area’s history — which stretches back thousands of years to early Native Americans and mastodons — or stay overnight in the Wakulla Springs Lodge, which dates back to 1937.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2025
The landmass used to host multiple forms of mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths, enormous armadillos, multiple species of sabercat, huge bison, dire wolves and many more large creatures that formed ancient ecosystems unlike anything on our planet today.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2025
First Evidence Found from Mastodon Tusk Ancient Impact on Modern-Day Ecosystem
The loss of mastodons greatly reduced seed dispersal for several of these fruit-bearing species.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mastodon
Cite this Entry
“Mastodon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mastodon. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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