alley cat

noun

Definition of alley catnext
as in kitten

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of alley cat Then there’s the title character, who at first impression could be a helpless goldfish just waiting for any one of these alley cats to knock over her bowl and swallow her tail and all. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026 As Los Angeles County activists continue their search for the suspect or suspects who have shot multiple alley cats in South Los Angeles with a BB gun, PETA has offered a $5,000 reward in hopes of bringing the crimes to a stop. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026 That also includes Leonard, a dapper old parrot who lives in the clinic, and Bitchy, a mangy, rangy alley cat who recently wandered into the office and took up residence. — Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 30 July 2025 To this day, the meanest alley cat in London testifies to the eternal return of cat life. — Lewis Hyde, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025 There are housecats and alley cats, Brawley said, and then there are tigers and lions. — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 20 May 2025 That seemed as incongruous a combination as a nightingale harmonizing with an alley cat. — David Browne, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2025 Like Selina Kyle being nibbled into Catwoman by her alley cats, Doug’s origin story involves a nurturing puppy pile and a preternatural ability to communicate with the army of mutts who, hilariously, do his bidding like henchmen in a gangster movie. — Jen Yamato, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alley cat
  1. kitten
  2. kit
  3. tabby
Noun
  • Earlier this year, the kitten was discovered in the wild and closely monitored by biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as part of panther conservation efforts.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Tiffany Haddish Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key’s 2016 action comedy Keanu centers on the duo trying to save the eponymous kitten, played by seven identical rescue cats.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of kitten
Noun
  • Taylor Farms says 40% of salad kits sold at grocery stores come from the company, giving it a massive role in supplying a convenient and cheap vegetable option for many shoppers.
    — Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Boeing received a separate contract worth nearly $163 million for bomb rack modernization kits connected to the broader effort.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of kit
Noun
  • The familiar brown tabby may be the look many people picture first, but Maine coons come in numerous colors and patterns, including solid colors, parti-colors and shaded or smoke varieties, according to CFA breed materials.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Tank is a handsome medium-haired tabby, and Nova is a beautiful long-haired black kitty with silky, fine fur.
    — Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of tabby

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Cite this Entry

“Alley cat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alley%20cat. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on alley cat

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about alley cat

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