wolfish

adjective

wolf·​ish ˈwu̇l-fish How to pronounce wolfish (audio)
Synonyms of wolfishnext
1
a
: suggestive of a wolf
wolfish mongrel dogs— Hoffman Birney
a wolfish and withdrawn youth— Marshall Frady
b
: befitting or characteristic of a wolf
a wolfish appetite
2
: of or relating to wolves
wolfishly adverb
wolfishness noun

Examples of wolfish in a Sentence

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.
The black, wolfish dog was sentenced to death by the Framingham Police Department after tearing into the arm of the boy next door who came over to pet him. — Peter Rubin, Longreads, 4 Oct. 2024 From the counter of Chez Bebelle, proprietor Gilles Belzons—a large wolfish figure who once played rugby for Narbonne—picks up a megaphone and hollers across to the charcutier opposite. — Rick Jordan, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Dec. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of wolfish was in the 15th century

Rhymes for wolfish

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Browse Nearby Words

wolf-in-the-tail
wolfish
wolfling
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wolfish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wolfish. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.

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