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Definitions

hyena

[hahy-ee-nuh] / haɪˈi nə /


NOUN
scavenger
Synonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After the vessel transporting his family from India to Canada sinks, Pi escapes to a lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan and a tiger—and his situation gets more complicated with each passing day.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Rare hyena behaviours have been caught on camera, including a mother-to-be trying to steal food from wild dogs and outsmarting rivals by hiding a stolen carcass underwater to mask its scent.

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2025

This is a musical that treasures goofy imperfection, a scene where McInnerny does a funny little tap dance, or the joy in Shannon’s hyena cackle.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2024

While female-dominated hyena societies may not strike some as technically "queer," the same cannot be said of the countless male lions who spend most of their time in all-male groups called coalitions.

From Salon • Jun. 6, 2024

Orange Juice, with huffs and lip-smacking noises, turned away, and the hyena lowered its head and retreated behind the zebra’s butchered body.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel