dens

noun

plural of den
1
as in lairs
the shelter or resting place of a wild animal the foxes hid in their den until the bear finally left the area

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in hideouts
a place where a person goes to hide or to avoid others an abandoned building that is often used as a den by the city's petty criminals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dens As people continue to seek comfort and meaningful moments at home, dens provide the ideal environment. — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Aug. 2026 Beyond hazing, Badger and Banjo help flush bears from urban dens, crawl beneath houses to locate animals in crawl spaces, and search for injured or orphaned bears. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026 Think under-stair dog dens, laundry-room cat cubbies tucked next to the dryer for warmth, and litter box enclosures hidden inside custom benches with ventilation fans that exhaust odor outside. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026 Doggy dens and cat cubbies Cozy sleeping nooks built into under-stair cavities, cabinet bases, or custom millwork, giving pets a den of their own that disappears into the architecture. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026 Our thriving food capital draws diners out with sunlit farmers markets, midnight taco stands, multigenerational kebab shops and serene sushi dens. — Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026 These drinking dens sit side by side with decades-old pubs that welcome locals and visitors with open arms (but maybe not a smile, especially in the winter). — Tanya Edwards, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026 These are important tools used for both feeding and building their dens and digging for other menu items such as mice, gophers, voles and shrews. — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026 State biologists are monitoring dens for signs of new pups. — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dens
  1. lairs
  2. hideouts
  3. nests
  4. burrows
  5. houses
Noun
  • These involve raiding the lairs of hoodlum rivals, then singlehandedly dissuading them from competition.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of lairs
Noun
  • Others recounted people falling sick, being beaten by the rain, and told to hide whenever Nigerian military helicopters flew over the forest hideouts where the captors held them.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Security forces carried out a ground operation along the border late Sunday, followed by strikes against militant hideouts and safe havens, killing 29 fighters, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said.
    — Abdul Qahar Afghan, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
Definition of hideouts
Noun
  • The men feared that nests on the beach would lead to fewer customers and less money being spent there, authorities said.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • After choosing your traps from a local home improvement store, place them around your yard’s perimeter, especially near the nests.
    — Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of nests
Noun
  • As opposed to beavers that build dams and lodges, block streams and divert and channel water, these beavers dig underwater into the bank of the reservoir and access their burrows through underground tunnels.
    — Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Research suggests these insects, found in northeastern Illinois and other Midwestern states, require burrows created by Great Plains mudbugs and water flowing over the mineral dolomite, Garrison said.
    — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of burrows
Noun
  • The new houses going up on Acacia Lane look a lot like one-story versions of the taller houses on the other side of the street.
    — Julie Z. Weil, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The family lives in Nepalikhuti village, one of the worst affected with over 1,000 animals washed away and 200 houses destroyed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of houses

Browse Nearby Words

de novo
dens
dense
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Cite this Entry

“Dens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dens. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dens

Nglish: Translation of dens for Spanish Speakers

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