plural zoos
1
: a facility with usually indoor and outdoor settings where living, typically wild animals are kept especially for public exhibition
called also zoological garden, zoological park
2
: a place, situation, or group marked by crowding, confusion, or unrestrained behavior
The convention was a zoo.
variants
or before a vowel zo-
1
: animal : animal kingdom or kind
zooid
zoology
2
: motile
zoospore
Examples of zoo in a Sentence
Noun
The sixth grade classroom was a zoo after recess.
The supermarket was a real zoo on the night before the storm.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 28 May 2025
The safe barrier protecting dozens of butterflies at a Missouri zoo was breached as winds toppled trees and tornadoes ripped through the state.
—Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025
The zoo is one of 34 institutions with the vulnerable and close to endangered species.
—Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025
And, following two elephant deaths in 2023 and 2024, the California zoo no longer met this standard.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for zoo
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.
Noun
Their distinctive red heads and snowy white feathers will develop at 2 years old, the zoo said.
—Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 28 May 2025
The safe barrier protecting dozens of butterflies at a Missouri zoo was breached as winds toppled trees and tornadoes ripped through the state.
—Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025
The zoo is one of 34 institutions with the vulnerable and close to endangered species.
—Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025
And, following two elephant deaths in 2023 and 2024, the California zoo no longer met this standard.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for zoo
Cite this Entry
“Zoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zoo. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
zoo
noun
plural zoos
: a garden or park where living usually wild animals are kept for showing to the public
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share