burrow

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of burrow
: a hole or excavation in the ground made by an animal (such as a rabbit) for shelter and habitation

burrow

2 of 2

verb

burrowed; burrowing; burrows

intransitive verb

1
a
: to make a burrow
A fox had burrowed into the side of the hill.
b
: to progress by or as if by digging
burrowing through a pile of paperwork
2
: to make a motion suggestive of burrowing : snuggle, nestle
burrowed against his back for warmth
3
: to conceal oneself in or as if in a burrow

transitive verb

1
a
: to penetrate by means of a burrow
The tunnel burrows its way under the mountain.
b
: to construct by tunneling
burrowed a dwelling
2
: to make a motion suggestive of burrowing with : nestle
burrows her hand into mine
3
archaic : to hide in or as if in a hole in the ground made by an animal for shelter and habitation : to hide in or as if in a burrow
was burrowed in his cave
burrower noun

Examples of burrow in a Sentence

Noun the chipmunk retreated to its burrow to have its babies Verb The rabbit burrowed into the side of the hill. The frogs burrow under the mud. The mole burrowed its way under the ground.
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Noun
Around the dozens of containers that make Toolik the US’s largest research station in the Arctic, musk ox and caribou graze on dwarf birches and fragrant labrador tea, while Arctic ground squirrels pop out of their burrows to survey the tundra. Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 Immature and adult mole crickets burrow, consume roots, and make tunnels in your lawn grass. Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 26 July 2026
Verb
Female flies bore into the fig to lay their eggs, which hatch out as larvae inside the fruit and eat the unripe insides before burrowing their way out. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 Katie Sharp burrowed deep into the Baseball Reference/Retrosheet play-by-play files. Jayson Stark, New York Times, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for burrow

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English borow

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of burrow was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Burrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burrow. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

burrow

1 of 2 noun
: a hole in the ground made by an animal (as a rabbit or fox) for shelter or protection

burrow

2 of 2 verb
1
: to construct by tunneling
2
: to hide oneself in or as if in a burrow
3
: to move or enter by or as if by digging
burrower noun

Medical Definition

: a passage or gallery formed in or under the skin by the wandering of a parasite (as the mite of scabies or a foreign hookworm)
burrow verb

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