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
Examples of cougar in a Sentence
in many regions, suburban developments have encroached upon the habitat of the cougar
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2018, a cougar was spotted peering through the front window of a Brookfield home.
—
Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 27 July 2025
Here's how far visitors should stay back from animals at Yellowstone, per NPS:
Bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose and coyotes: Stay more than 25 yards, or 75 feet, away
Bears, wolves and cougars: Stay at least 100 yards, or 300 feet, away
How many bison are at Yellowstone?
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 11 June 2025
Wildlife management in California, specifically, has long been shaped by these same forces of violence, originating in bounty campaigns not just against predators like cougars and wolves but also against American Indian peoples.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
The incident came 15 months after a cougar fatally mauled an El Dorado County man and severely injured his brother, the first fatal mountain lion attack in California in 20 years, according to previous Bee reporting.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cougar
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Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 27 July 2025
Here's how far visitors should stay back from animals at Yellowstone, per NPS:
Bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose and coyotes: Stay more than 25 yards, or 75 feet, away
Bears, wolves and cougars: Stay at least 100 yards, or 300 feet, away
How many bison are at Yellowstone?
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 11 June 2025
Wildlife management in California, specifically, has long been shaped by these same forces of violence, originating in bounty campaigns not just against predators like cougars and wolves but also against American Indian peoples.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
The incident came 15 months after a cougar fatally mauled an El Dorado County man and severely injured his brother, the first fatal mountain lion attack in California in 20 years, according to previous Bee reporting.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cougar
Cite this Entry
“Cougar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cougar. Accessed 6 Aug. 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
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