varmint

noun

var·​mint ˈvär-mənt How to pronounce varmint (audio)
1
: an animal considered a pest
specifically : one classed as vermin and unprotected by game law
2
: a contemptible person : rascal
broadly : person, fellow

Examples of varmint in a Sentence

rats, mice, and other varmints The sheriff in the movie gets revenge on the dirty varmint who killed his brother.
Recent Examples on the Web But every spring, seeds of hope grow into flowers and vegetables of joy in a gardener’s head, replacing the weeds and assorted varmints that took up residence there in the previous season. Bob Lorentson, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2024 Heck, it’s even offered in most predator/varmint rigs. Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 11 Apr. 2023 Not bad for a successful night of varmint hunting. Matt Williams, Dallas News, 8 Jan. 2022 Some sort of mutant varmint? J.d. Crowe | Jdcrowe@al.com, al, 29 Sep. 2020 How did a creature despised as a pest and a varmint, whose slaughter was once cheered and officially rewarded by California, become a darling and an icon? Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2022 The boa uses its muscles to move its prey down the length of its body to the stomach, where the unlucky varmint is digested over the next four to six days. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 24 Mar. 2022 The plot is a boilerplate revenge saga, with Love (Jonathan Majors, a true movie star) hunting the hide of the varmint Buck (Idris Elba), who killed his ma and pa, but the exhilaration is all in Samuel’s neo-exploitation execution. Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2021 Lots of sunshine and clear blue skies are once again enveloping the Pharmalot campus, where the official mascot is sniffing about in search of varmint. Ed Silverman, STAT, 5 Sep. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'varmint.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

variant of vermin (with regular late Middle English opening of tautosyllabic er to ar and parasitic t)

First Known Use

circa 1539, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of varmint was circa 1539

Dictionary Entries Near varmint

Cite this Entry

“Varmint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/varmint. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

varmint

noun
var·​mint ˈvär-mənt How to pronounce varmint (audio)
1
: an animal that is considered a pest
2
: an unlikable person : rascal
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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