as in boxer
one that engages in the sport of fighting with the fists
a retired pug with battered ears and swollen knuckles
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Recent Examples of pug
This frenzy unfolded into a succession of rings, like craps tables at a casino, in which breed competitions were taking place simultaneously—churning packs of basenjis, salukis, Xoloitzcuintlis, whippets, shih tzus, rat terriers, malamutes, and pugs.
—
Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
On January 30, French influencer Cyril Schreiner announced that his famous pug had been abducted from his home in Sarthe, a rural and densely wooded region of northwest France.
—Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
The team then compared the 14 breeds to pugs, French bulldogs, and bulldogs.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
According to MetLife, the most popular dog breed in Arizona is the pug, keeping the trend of Arizonans loving little dogs.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pug
Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
On January 30, French influencer Cyril Schreiner announced that his famous pug had been abducted from his home in Sarthe, a rural and densely wooded region of northwest France.
—Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
The team then compared the 14 breeds to pugs, French bulldogs, and bulldogs.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
According to MetLife, the most popular dog breed in Arizona is the pug, keeping the trend of Arizonans loving little dogs.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pug
Noun
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Every day, visitors from around the world make their way to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art — not necessarily for the galleries inside, but for a statue of a fictional boxer from South Philadelphia.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
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That's right, rapper 50 Cent (né Curtis Jackson) is set to appear in Street Fighter as the boxer Balrog.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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State-of-the-art drones, and the technology needed to intercept them, have become as important to national weapons arsenals as missiles, Patriot systems, fighter jets, and warships.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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The teens were also said to have been involved in online groups recruiting fighters for IS militants in Syria and shared a fascination with violence and hatred against Jews, LGBTQ+ people and others, officials said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pug. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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