warren

noun

war·​ren ˈwȯr-ən How to pronounce warren (audio)
ˈwär-
1
chiefly British
a
: a place legally authorized for keeping small game (such as hare or pheasant)
b
: the privilege of hunting game in such a warren
2
a(1)
: an area (as of uncultivated ground) where rabbits breed
(2)
: a structure where rabbits are kept or bred
b
: the rabbits of a warren
3
a
: a crowded tenement or district
b
: a maze of passageways or small rooms

Examples of warren in a Sentence

a warren of narrow hallways got lost in the warren of interconnected side streets
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Photo: Rob Youngson/FX Jean McConville was a widowed mother of ten living in the high-rise warren of Divis Flats, a massive public housing complex in West Belfast. Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Nov. 2024 The tension begins with a seemingly innocuous scene of Hal walking through a warren of cubicles at the CIA headquarters, on his way for an official U.S. government call to explain the VP’s role in the bombing. Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2024 The film, directed by Mike Judge, was set in a fictional software company called Initech; many scenes played out under fluorescent lights in a featureless warren of cubicles. Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2024 At this stage, with hostage and cease-fire negotiations stalled and Hamas' leader unreachable in Gaza's warren of tunnels, Rachel likened civilians on both sides to pawns in chess. Matt Gutman, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for warren 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wareine, from Anglo-French warenne, garenne

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of warren was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near warren

Cite this Entry

“Warren.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warren. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

warren

noun
war·​ren ˈwȯr-ən How to pronounce warren (audio)
ˈwär-
: a place where rabbits breed

Geographical Definition

Warren

geographical name

War·​ren ˈwȯr-ən How to pronounce Warren (audio)
ˈwär-
1
city in southeastern Michigan north of Detroit population 134,056
2
city in northeastern Ohio northwest of Youngstown population 41,557

Biographical Definition

Warren 1 of 5

biographical name (1)

War·​ren ˈwȯr-ən How to pronounce Warren (audio)
ˈwär-
Earl 1891–1974 American jurist; chief justice U.S. Supreme Court (1953–69)

Warren

2 of 5

biographical name (2)

Gou*ver*neur ˌgə-vər-ˈnir How to pronounce Warren (audio)
ˌgə-və-
Kemble 1830–1882 American general

Warren

3 of 5

biographical name (3)

Joseph 1741–1775 American physician and general in Revolution

Warren

4 of 5

biographical name (4)

J. Robin 1937–2024 Australian pathologist

Warren

5 of 5

biographical name (5)

Robert Penn 1905–1989 American author and educator; poet laureate (1986–87)

More from Merriam-Webster on warren

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