1
a
: a young carnivorous mammal (such as a bear, fox, or lion)
b
: a young shark
2
: a young person
3
: apprentice
especially
: an inexperienced newspaper reporter
Synonyms
Examples of cub in a Sentence
the kind of big story that can propel a cub reporter into the stratosphere of the newspaper world
assigned to teach a bunch of young cubs how to play baseball
Recent Examples on the Web
The zoo said they cannot be released back into the wild because cubs need at least two years with their mother to learn survival skills.
—
Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
The veterinary staff determined that the three cubs — one female cub named Fern and two male cubs named Thistle and Spruce — were about three months old.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 30 Jan. 2025
In November 2023, the National Zoo sent its three pandas — Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, who had lived there since 2000, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji — back to China, in advance of the expiration of their loan agreement and amidst rising tensions between the two countries.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 24 Jan. 2025
Now, just days after saying Butler would not be traded, cub president Pat Riley says the Heat will listen to offers ahead of the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cub 
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.
Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2025
The veterinary staff determined that the three cubs — one female cub named Fern and two male cubs named Thistle and Spruce — were about three months old.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 30 Jan. 2025
In November 2023, the National Zoo sent its three pandas — Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, who had lived there since 2000, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji — back to China, in advance of the expiration of their loan agreement and amidst rising tensions between the two countries.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 24 Jan. 2025
Now, just days after saying Butler would not be traded, cub president Pat Riley says the Heat will listen to offers ahead of the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cub
Dictionary Entries Near cub
Cite this Entry
“Cub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cub. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cub
noun1
a
: a young flesh-eating mammal (as a bear, fox, or lion)
b
: a young shark
2
: a young person
3
: a person just learning a job : apprentice
a cub reporter
a cub pilot
4
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share