1
: any of a family (Soricidae) of small chiefly nocturnal insectivores related to the moles and distinguished by a long pointed snout, very small eyes, and short velvety fur
2
: an ill-tempered scolding woman
Synonyms
Examples of shrew in a Sentence
Noun
Rip Van Winkle went off into the mountains to escape his wife, a shrew who made his life miserable.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jessica Booth, Peoplemag, 19 May 2024
They were likely excavated by shrews, Scofield says.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2024
By selecting mammals as their theme, the filmmakers of the BBC’s Natural History Unit (NHU) have rich pickings, from the largest animal on Earth, the blue whale, to the tiny Etruscan shrew.
—Graeme Green, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
The shrews must consume a hefty meal every few hours, lest the animals starve.
—Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 8 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shrew 
Noun
Other notable characters include Mama and Papa Puffin, Oona’s best friend Mossy (a brown Eurasian Pygmy shrew) and friends like May (a rabbit) and Silky (a harbor seal).
—Jessica Booth, Peoplemag, 19 May 2024
They were likely excavated by shrews, Scofield says.
—Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2024
By selecting mammals as their theme, the filmmakers of the BBC’s Natural History Unit (NHU) have rich pickings, from the largest animal on Earth, the blue whale, to the tiny Etruscan shrew.
—Graeme Green, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
The shrews must consume a hefty meal every few hours, lest the animals starve.
—Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 8 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shrew
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shrew.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Shrew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrew. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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