den
noun
\ ˈden
\
\
Definition of den
(Entry 1 of 3)
1
: the lair of a wild usually predatory animal
2a(1)
: a hollow or cavern used especially as a hideout
(2)
: a center of secret activity
b
: a small usually squalid dwelling
3
: a comfortable usually secluded room
4
: a subdivision of a Cub Scout pack made up of two or more boys
5
British
: a small structure built by children as a place to play, hide, or provide shelter
We roamed the fields and made dens in the hedges, dragging old logs and brushwood with scraps of canvas and rope to make shelters to hide in.— Pat Smith
den
verb
denned;
denning
Definition of den (Entry 2 of 3)
: to live in or retire to a den
polar bears den in ice caves or snowdrifts
: to drive into a den
Den
abbreviationDefinition of Den (Entry 3 of 3)
Denmark
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Examples of den in a Sentence
Noun
The bears will spend most of the winter in their den. The TV is in the den. He spent most evenings in the den reading and smoking his pipe.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The result is an energetic, colourful tour of the city’s dens of iniquity. — The Economist, "Music and morals in New York’s ragtime age," 15 Aug. 2019 Some lucky Southwest travelers on their way to Comic-Con got a pleasant surprise on Wednesday when their flight was turned into a gaming den. — Jayme Deerwester, USA TODAY, "Southwest passengers surprised with Nintendo Switch gaming systems en route to Comic-Con," 19 July 2019 The last thing Biden needed was to walk into a den of super-liberal lions. — Willie Brown, SFChronicle.com, "Elizabeth Warren can win the nomination. California is key," 8 June 2019 The Willis Show Bar originally opened in 1949 as an esteemed jazz club but slowly degraded into a den of ill repute over the course of its three decades in business. — Mark Kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press, "Shuttered for 40 years, Willis Show Bar will reopen Friday in Cass Corridor," 23 Apr. 2018 In other words, the first lady was literally, and voluntarily, walking into a den of potential adversaries. — Kate Bennett, CNN, "Melania Trump looks to history for inspired state dinner with the Macrons," 21 Apr. 2018 Her roommate, Barrett, was in the den with his girlfriend, Katrina, who took epic showers in Geraldine’s bathroom most mornings and availed herself of other people’s bath products. — Elena Nicolaou, refinery29.com, "How Could She," 25 June 2019 The pups had to be delivered to the den as soon as Dwire and others got word of a wild birth. — Andrew Nicla, azcentral, "Captive-born Mexican gray wolf pups released to 'foster dens' in Arizona and New Mexico," 23 June 2019 At their three-bedroom vacation home in Baja California, Mexico, Amy and Chad Wells have a wall of windows looking onto the Pacific Ocean, a beach right below their deck and an adobe fireplace in the den. — Sara Clemence, chicagotribune.com, "What to know before buying that dream vacation home in another country," 20 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
The groups sought information on an application by a company to conduct three-dimensional seismic exploration that could disturb denning polar bears. — Dan Joling, Anchorage Daily News, "Groups sue for information on Arctic refuge lease sale," 31 July 2019 In the winter, the animals will den underground, commonly returning to the same spot year after year, and often commune there with other snake species, such as rat snakes and rattlesnakes. — National Geographic, "Copperheads," 22 July 2019 Still just 17 years old, Van den Berg had already made 22 appearances for the Eredivisie side, with 15 of those coming last season. — SI.com, "Jurgen Klopp Delighted With New Signing Sepp van den Berg as Liverpool Return to Training," 7 July 2019 Encircle the bottom of your porch with fencing to prevent animals from denning underneath. — Karen Pilarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "A deer and dog had a wild encounter in a Wauwatosa backyard," 10 June 2019 Most of the 11 collared bears denned in Chugach State Park. — Author: Rick Sinnott | Opinion, Anchorage Daily News, "Bears, bikes and avoiding unnecessary togetherness on Anchorage trails," 31 Mar. 2018 That included the use of snares, nets, and traps, hunting wolves or coyotes during their denning season, baiting bears, and using aircraft to hunt bears. — Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, "Federal judge rejects predator-control lawsuit against Interior Department," 8 June 2018 The Wyoming plan also includes a no-hunt buffer zone in a region east of Grand Teton where several bears adored by photographers and tourists are known to roam and den. — Karin Brulliard, chicagotribune.com, "Yellowstone grizzly bears are off the endangered list; Wyoming says it's time to hunt them again," 24 May 2018 With sea ice diminishing due to a warming climate, increasing numbers of polar bears are denning in the coastal plain. — Anchorage Daily News, "Sen. Murkowski has it wrong; drilling in ANWR would be a tragedy," 7 Jan. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'den.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for den
den
noun
English Language Learners Definition of den
: the home of some kinds of wild animals
US
: an informal and comfortable room in a house
chiefly British, informal + old-fashioned
: a small and quiet room in a house where someone goes to read, work, etc.
See the full definition for den in the English Language Learners Dictionary
den
noun
\ ˈden
\
\
Kids Definition of den
1
: the shelter or resting place of a wild animal
a fox's den
2
: a quiet or private room in a home
3
: a hiding place (as for thieves)