carnivore

noun

Definition of carnivorenext
as in omnivore
an animal that eats meat; a meat eater
—sometimes used humorously to refer to people who eat meat Many of my friends are vegetarians, but I'm a carnivore.

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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 carnivore As prices have soared, Americans' appetites for beef has increased along with trends like carnivore diets and protein-maxxing. — Israel Schuman, Des Moines Register, 9 Sep. 2026 The California Department of Fish and Wildlife received two reports of a rare gray wolf sighting and photos of the carnivore in late August in an area where Mendocino, Glenn and Lake counties meet. — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026 Grain-free Cats are carnivores and don’t need grains in their diets. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026 That, paired with the smoky sausage and flavorful ham, was a carnivore’s paradise. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for carnivore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carnivore
  1. omnivore
  2. animal
  3. insectivore
  4. creature
  5. critter
  6. beastie
Noun
  • The speckled omnivores can weigh upwards of 10 pounds, largely thanks to a diet that regularly includes eggs, small animals, fruits, and vegetables.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 June 2026
  • North American river otters are omnivores, feeding on fish, turtles, crabs, mollusks, birds, oysters, shellfish, crayfish, frogs, rodents and insects.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Definition of omnivore
Noun
  • When Hanne, a staff member of a struggling animal rescue, unexpectedly becomes executor of a wealthy hunting family’s estate, a bitter battle over the inheritance erupts.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The Rock Art Trail is fun and educational, as is trying to identify what some of the animals depicted are.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of animal
Noun
  • Belonging to the same group of mammals as sloths and anteaters, armadillos are voracious insectivores that eat large numbers of beetles, grubs, ants, termites, and other insects, grabbing them with their sticky tongues.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
  • Many of the bird species migrating through the Midwest are insectivores, living in the neotropics in winter to have food for survival.
    — Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
Definition of insectivore
Noun
  • Although a horrifying sea creature sits at the center of the show, this story is about a man desperate to cling to a decaying past, a grieving family and how greed can create monsters.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Starting with a scene that feels real and looks real lets McKeown get away with what is otherwise a silly creature feature, elongated but never past the point of enjoyment.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of creature
Noun
  • Clear blue skies are hovering over the Pharmalot campus, where a cool breeze is wafting by and the official mascots are bounding about the grounds in search of critters.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Already, some of these critters have moved into the area while the work continues.
    — Peggy Gossett-Seidman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of critter
Noun
  • Greg and Denise are having some marital issues, but everybody needs to put other concerns aside to stay alive with nasty raptors and other hungry beasties around.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
  • And when that happens, astronomers will set about studying these new beasties with other eyes on the sky to learn more about them and hopefully understand them.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 24 July 2026
Definition of beastie

Browse Nearby Words

carnivals
carnivore
carnivores
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Cite this Entry

“Carnivore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carnivore. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on carnivore

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about carnivore

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