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black bear
noun
: the common North American bear (Ursus americanus) ranging in color from brown or typical black to white
Examples of black bear in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Orange City, about a 30-mile drive north from Orlando, is in a part of the state with a heavy density of black bears, FWC reports.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2025
About 40% of the state's black bears live in the Sierra Nevada, according to the fish and wildlife department.
—Damon Arthur, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
In a break from tradition, the poster for the 2025 Berlinale will not feature Berlin’s cuddly mascot, the black bear.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Dec. 2024
The black bear’s behavioral profile in the area—ranging from high jinks to a gruesome first, for California—turned out to be symptoms of a problem with humans.
—Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 29 Nov. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1589, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near black bear
Cite this Entry
“Black bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black%20bear. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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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