pooch

1 of 2

noun

ˈpüch 

plural pooches

informal

: dog

a cute pooch

Before the abusive letters pour in …, may I state that I am very fond of dogs. Loyal, obedient, housetrained pooches are a pleasure to rub noses with.

—Romany Bain

pooch

2 of 2

verb

pooched; pooching; pooches

intransitive verb

chiefly dialectal

: bulge

Phrases

screw the pooch

US slang

: to botch an activity or undertaking : screw up

He's a little cocky, but he's not about to screw the pooch.

—Douglas M. Bailey

Such is life. Sometimes you score big, and sometimes you screw the pooch.

—Greg Jerrett

Synonyms

Noun

• canine
• dog
• doggy
• doggie
• hound
• tyke
• tike

Verb

• bag
• balloon
• beetle
• belly
• billow
• bulge
• bunch
• jut
• overhang
• poke
• pouch
• pout
• project
• protrude
• stand out
• start
• stick out
• swell

Examples of pooch in a Sentence

Noun

What a cute little pooch!

walking down the street with several pooches on leashes

Verb

his lower lip pooched out in disappointment

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

However, on the flip side, doggy day cares are great for socializing your pooch and are an excellent place for dogs who thrive on interaction. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2024

Willie Nelson: $34.99 Turn your pooch into one of the best musicians in the world with this Willie Nelson dog costume. —Christopher Murray, Fox News, 11 Oct. 2024

No more untangling your pudgy little pooch from signposts and fire hydrants. —New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2024

Meanwhile, Teddy London is providing high-end beds for dogs at Soho House, a luxury members’ club, giving visiting pooches the same five-star treatment as their owners. —Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

Verb

alteration of pouch entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1908, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1923, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pooch

• screw the pooch

Kids Definition

pooch

noun

ˈpüch

informal

: dog entry 1 sense 1a