beetle 1 of 2

verb

Definition of beetlenext
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point houses in the town commonly have second stories that beetle over the ground floors, and the overhang is known as a "bump"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

beetle

2 of 2

noun

as in hammer

Related Words

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 beetle
Verb
Persistent drought has led to beetle infestations in the state’s ponderosa and piñon pine forests. — Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 28 Mar. 2026 Jonathan Carver, suggest the name may also refer to beetle larvae emerging from thawing tree bark. — Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
In a paper published this month in PLOS One, Alaei and her colleagues propose an alternative - employing a suite of superworms, a kind of hefty beetle larva that can capably pick a variety of animal skeletons clean. — Ari Daniel, NPR, 17 July 2026 Gardeners can naturally reduce beetle populations and protect their landscapes by planting geraniums among more susceptible ornamentals. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for beetle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beetle
  1. protrude
  2. hammer
  3. poke
  4. mallet
  5. bulge
  6. cane
  7. sledgehammer
  8. maul
Verb
  • Tropical Hibiscus Tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), as the name suggests, is native to tropical climates in Asia and produces dramatic, vibrant flowers that can grow up to 6 inches in diameter with protruding stamens.
    — Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Akhenaten, who may have been the boy-king’s father, was depicted in artwork as having wide hips and a protruding belly, which stood out from portraits of other Egyptian royalty.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of protrude
Noun
  • The Citrus Heights Police Department said on Monday that officers responded Sunday afternoon to a report of a man running from the mall with a bag and hammer following a robbery at a Kay Jewelers store.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Hammerheads stand out from other shark species by the distinctive shape of their heads, which stick out perpendicular to their bodies in the shape of, well, a hammer.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of hammer
Verb
  • Defender Kevin O'Toole poked the ball away, but Mboma Dem put away a sliding first-touch shot that opened the scoring in the 11th minute.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Somebody had taken a cosmic needle and poked holes in the dome so that the light could filter in.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of poke
Noun
  • This makes things all the more disorienting when, near the final act, Greg’s leg is chomped off by an allosaurus mid-mallet-fight, before the dino proceeds to eat him headfirst.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In this 1970 photo, a 9-year-old Diana is holding a croquet mallet during a game at Itchenor, West Sussex.
    — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of mallet
Verb
  • Infants may act sluggish or not active, vomit, be unusually fussy, face poor feeding, show a bulging soft spot on the head, or show poor reflexes.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Padmini came in about ten minutes later, carrying a net bag bulging with okra and shiny gourds.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of bulge
Noun
  • This is also the time to thin out crowded canes and remove any that are too weak to bear fruit.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2026
  • There is no greater cautionary tale than Australia’s cane toads, whose now 200-million strong population continues to wreak havoc 91 years after being introduced to deal with the country’s cane beetle problem.
    — Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of cane
Noun
  • With heavy machinery in short supply, a volunteer worker wields a sledgehammer in the search of bodies at the complex.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • In the ensuing team meeting, both players had to hold a sledgehammer in each hand with their arms straight out.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of sledgehammer
Noun
  • Numia prevented an early Bulls lineout maul try then the All Blacks shoved the Bulls' five-meter attacking scrum backwards.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • While many college corners lean on lax officiating to grab and maul, Johnson stays disciplined.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Definition of maul

Browse Nearby Words

bees in one's bonnet
beetle
beetled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beetle. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on beetle

Nglish: Translation of beetle for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of rigmarole

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All