Illustration of prairie dog
prairie dog
noun
: any of a genus (Cynomys) of gregarious burrowing rodents of the squirrel family chiefly of central and western U.S. plains
especially
: a black-tailed rodent (C. ludovicianus) that usually lives in extensive colonial burrows
Examples of prairie dog in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sprawling as this town was, prairie dogs aren't faring well.
—
Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2023
The problem in Arizona is that prairie dog colonies are collapsing, the inhabitants succumbing to the plague or to land users trying to eliminate pests.
—Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024
Today, the baseline species is the prairie dog, a sociable rodent who lives underground.
—Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2023
Young prairie dogs emerge from their den for the first time — see it!
—Fox News, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for prairie dog 
Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2023
The problem in Arizona is that prairie dog colonies are collapsing, the inhabitants succumbing to the plague or to land users trying to eliminate pests.
—Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024
Today, the baseline species is the prairie dog, a sociable rodent who lives underground.
—Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2023
Young prairie dogs emerge from their den for the first time — see it!
—Fox News, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for prairie dog
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prairie dog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Prairie dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prairie%20dog. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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