grizzly bear
noun
Note: The grizzly bear is the same species as the brown bear, but grizzly bear is typically used for the North American brown bear and not the European or Asian brown bear. In the U.S., grizzly bear is most often used for a brown bear of inland habitats (as in Montana and western Canada) that is typically smaller than coastal brown bears and usually has lighter-colored tips on the fur. The grizzly bear is often considered a subspecies (Ursus arctos horribilis) of the brown bear and, especially formerly, a separate species (Ursus horribilis).
Natural Historycalled also grizzly
Examples of grizzly bear in a Sentence
Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The last encounter took place in May 2021 when a grizzly bear injured a solo hiker on the Beaver Ponds Trail in Mammoth Hot Springs.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
In May 2021, a solo hiker was injured by a grizzly bear on the Beaver Ponds Trail in Mammoth Hot Springs, according to the National Park Service.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
While black bears are far less aggressive than brown bears, according to the North American Bear Center, 70 percent of human fatalities caused by grizzly bears are the result of a sow protecting her cubs.
—Katie Jackson, Outside, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for grizzly bear
Cite this Entry
“Grizzly bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grizzly%20bear. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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