plural lions
1
a
or plural lion
: a large heavily built social cat (Panthera leo) of open or rocky areas chiefly of sub-Saharan Africa though once widely distributed throughout Africa and southern Asia that has a tawny body with a tufted tail and a shaggy blackish or dark brown mane in the male
b
: any of several large wildcats
especially
: cougar sense 1
c
Lion
: leo
2
a
: a person felt to resemble a lion (as in courage or ferocity)
b
: a person of outstanding interest or importance
a literary lion
3
Lion
[Lions (club)]
: a member of a major national and international service club
Synonyms of lion
Examples of lion in a Sentence
the roar of the lion
He was a literary lion among the writers of his time.
Recent Examples on the Web
Combinations are inventive with one dish pairing langoustine with cacao and lion’s mane mushroom and another bringing together lamb with cockles.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 June 2026
According to this theory, those now-extinct megafauna—the giant ground sloths and the giant beavers, the mastodons and mammoths, and even the lions and dire wolves—were relatively quickly hunted to extinction.
—Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Three Lions are led by the most lethal striker in the game Harry Kane.
—Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
The Lions of Teranga have a talented squad and will likely progress to the knockout stage, either as the runner-up or one of the best third-place teams.
—Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lion
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.
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 June 2026
According to this theory, those now-extinct megafauna—the giant ground sloths and the giant beavers, the mastodons and mammoths, and even the lions and dire wolves—were relatively quickly hunted to extinction.
—Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Three Lions are led by the most lethal striker in the game Harry Kane.
—Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
The Lions of Teranga have a talented squad and will likely progress to the knockout stage, either as the runner-up or one of the best third-place teams.
—Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lion
Cite this Entry
“Lion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lion. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
