snail 1 of 2

noun

ˈsnāl How to pronounce snail (audio)
Definition of snailnext
as in slug
someone who moves slowly or more slowly than others go and tell the snails in the back to hurry up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

snail

2 of 2

verb

as in to drag
to move slowly the highway construction work created a bottleneck that had cars snailing for the next five miles

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 snail
Noun
While the imagery around the show was overtly erotic, from the footage of mating snails and kissing bodies to the music and the projections, the clothes themselves were less about baring skin than creating a sense of sensuality. — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026 Similarly, snail shells almost always spiral in the same direction for every snail species. — Mallory Green, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
The northern part of the island was at a standstill, schools closed, traffic snailing down the motorway. — Ariel Saramandi, The Dial, 29 July 2025 The two perpetual calendar counters are also snailed, except for the central section of the one located at 9 o'clock. — Anthony Demarco, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for snail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snail
  1. slug
  2. drag
  3. crawler
  4. crawl
  5. slowpoke
  6. creep
  7. lingerer
  8. poke
Noun
  • The live-by-the-slug, die-by-the-slug Dodgers have hit zero home runs in the NLCS.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • These beneficial predators spend the winter under leaves, emerging in spring to feed on common garden pests such as aphids, slugs and mites.
    — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of slug
Verb
  • Season 2 picks up from where things left off, with Michael and Diana having barely arrived in Spain when they are dragged back into the fold to answer questions around Ricardo’s death.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s spokesman denied Britain was being dragged in to the conflict.
    — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of drag
Noun
  • Dispose of Fall Decorations Seasonal decor like pumpkins and gourds also unintentionally invite an infestation of creepy crawlers.
    — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The crawlers are active from late May to early June and in late July through August, providing two windows of opportunity to apply a control measure.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of crawler
Verb
  • On thinner material, that gives you a fighting chance at keeping heat and warpage under control without crawling along at a miserable pace.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The bystander told the woman to get down on the floor before crawling into the home beneath the heaviest heat and dragging her to safety, according to the fire department.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of crawl
Noun
  • Sale prices currently start from $579 per person, but there’s limited availability due to the size of the ships, so don’t be a slowpoke!
    — Hannah Chubb, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
  • Instead, the problem is that these slowpokes haven’t been nearly as efficient.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Definition of slowpoke
Verb
  • By spring, with the opportunity fading for a mass relocation of homes and businesses, optimism crept back into public discourse.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Port-au-Prince, Haiti — Trees wrap around buildings, roots sprout from riverbeds of plastic trash, and vines creep down the street.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of creep
Noun
  • The lingerers brought their dirty dishes to the bus tub, wiped their mouths one last time with a napkin, and waved to Cleo, their faces saying, Nice job!
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Nakamura designs for lingerers.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of lingerer
Verb
  • Ask it to poke holes and give you the strongest case against something.
    — Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Kessler, standing nearby during Williams’ postgame news conference, poked his head out from behind a black curtain and gave his teammate a thumbs-up.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of poke

Phrases Containing snail

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snags
snail
snailed
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Cite this Entry

“Snail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snail. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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