black bear

noun

: the common North American bear (Ursus americanus) ranging in color from brown or typical black to white

Illustration of black bear

Illustration of black bear

Examples of black bear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In Colorado Springs, a 250-pound black bear got into an unlocked car, became trapped and eventually died inside the vehicle. — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 People who encounter a black bear should never run or intentionally feed the animal. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 Even bloodhounds, dogs so famous for their sense of smell that they’re used to track missing people, don’t smell as well a black bear. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026 While black bears are known to inhabit nearly every town in Connecticut, they are concentrated more heavily in the western half of the state, and both DEEP and the research team have focused their efforts on studying that population of bears. — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for black bear

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of black bear was in 1589

Rhymes for black bear

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Browse Nearby Words

black bean
black bear
black bearberry
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Cite this Entry

“Black bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black%20bear. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

black bear

noun
: the common usually black-furred bear found in North American forests

More from Merriam-Webster on black bear

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about black bear

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