pooch

1 of 2

noun

ˈpüch 

plural pooches

informal

: dog

a cute pooch

Before the abusive letters pour in …, may I state that I am very fond of dogs. Loyal, obedient, housetrained pooches are a pleasure to rub noses with.

—Romany Bain

pooch

2 of 2

verb

pooched; pooching; pooches

intransitive verb

chiefly dialectal

: bulge

Phrases

screw the pooch

US slang

: to botch an activity or undertaking : screw up

He's a little cocky, but he's not about to screw the pooch.

—Douglas M. Bailey

Such is life. Sometimes you score big, and sometimes you screw the pooch.

—Greg Jerrett

Synonyms

Noun

• canine
• dog
• doggy
• doggie
• hound
• tyke
• tike

Verb

• bag
• balloon
• beetle
• belly
• billow
• bulge
• bunch
• jut
• overhang
• poke
• pouch
• pout
• project
• protrude
• stand out
• start
• stick out
• swell

Examples of pooch in a Sentence

Noun

What a cute little pooch!

walking down the street with several pooches on leashes

Verb

his lower lip pooched out in disappointment

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Dogs can sniff out people, but these specialized pooches are often rare compared to the vast footprint of the wreckage. —Anna Funk, Discover Magazine, 6 Feb. 2025

Simply watching the dogs harness up for a tour offers true entertainment, with each pooch visibly enthused about the adventure that awaits. —Shauna Farnell, The Denver Post, 29 Jan. 2025

The recent frigid temps can make outdoor excursions rough and even dangerous for local pooches. —Monica Eng, Axios, 21 Jan. 2025

The vet technician who picked up the pup after the rescue – identified as Judy Hausler – kept the pooch overnight before meeting with the family to return the Chihuahua. —Raven Brunner, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

Verb

alteration of pouch entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1908, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1923, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pooch

• screw the pooch

Kids Definition

pooch

noun

ˈpüch

informal

: dog entry 1 sense 1a