snake 1 of 2

noun

ˈsnāk How to pronounce snake (audio)
Definition of snakenext
1
as in serpent
a limbless reptile with a long body snakes are cold-blooded, so they regulate their body temperature by alternately basking in sunlight and seeking shade

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2
as in dog
a person whose behavior is offensive to others why, that dirty, rotten snake!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in traitor
one who betrays a trust or an allegiance what a snake she was—having an affair with my husband while I was in the hospital!

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snake

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to lurk
to move about in a sly or secret manner snaking softly through the brush

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2
as in to crawl
to move slowly with the body close to the ground commandos snaking through the grass toward the house

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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 snake
Noun
The snakes are also some of the largest in the world, and are often measured at about six to nine feet in length. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026 While Tom Rahill walked away with the $10,000 grand prize for removing 96 snakes, Rahm Levinson won $1,000 with the longest python measuring an impressive 16-feet, five-inches. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
Towering over the Central Business District and the snaking ribbon of the Waller Creek Greenbelt Trail, this 37-story hotel stands out amidst the Austin skyline. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2026 At the bus stop, there was a queue of chartered double-decker buses and a vast crowd, mostly men in blue business suits, snaked four times around the car park, waiting to board the vehicles. — David Szondy july 23, New Atlas, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for snake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snake
  1. serpent
  2. dog
  3. traitor
  4. lurk
  5. crawl
  6. viper
  7. jerk
  8. sneak
Noun
  • In Roman art, invidia is sometimes depicted as a gaunt Medusa-like figure with serpents for hair.
    — Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
  • According to the ancient Greeks, a mighty serpent called Ophion incubated an enormous egg that hatched into the universe and all its inhabitants.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of serpent
Noun
  • Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, had a number of dogs throughout their life.
    — Audrey Schmidt, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Things get increasingly bleak, as the family dog’s heart medicine runs out and Jason has to put him out of his misery, and then — in doomsday prepper mode — carves up the body and puts it in the freezer just in case food gets dire.
    — William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of dog
Noun
  • His tenure was upended by the arrest of Aldrich Ames, a CIA traitor.
    — Bob Drogin, Washington Post, 22 July 2026
  • In reality, the big debate has been about questions such as whether military bases should be named for traitors and whether governments should host monuments to a rebellion to defend slavery.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
Definition of traitor
Verb
  • Statum has heard horror-stories about predators lurking on Instagram or Snapchat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The city of Atlanta has jurisdiction over Hartsfield-Jackson, but the threat of a state takeover of the world’s busiest airport has lurked in the background of Georgia politics for years.
    — Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of lurk
Verb
  • And imagine the bear, cornered in an unfamiliar lair, seeing the light of the only exit blocked by this larger attacker that did not howl or bark, but crawled silently toward him through the addled dogs.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Tests on Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, Unitree’s G1 and Boston Dynamics’ Spot showed the robots could perform crawling, cartwheels, handstands, soccer kicks and other complex movements across different robotic body types.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of crawl
Noun
  • Maumelle Animal Shelter The pit viper was so reluctant to exit the helmet that police officers had to pour water into it to force the snake out and into a bag.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Goode needed no persuading about the beauty of animals like New Caledonian geckos, African bush vipers, Caribbean rock iguanas, and similar Cyclura.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of viper
Noun
  • That screwed up the works / And not due to his sloppy hiring / Of a crew of incompetent jerks.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Kris and Billy watch that one together in an intimate sleepover, sinking into the murky texture of a scene in which the virginal actor allowed a jerk to take off her clothes.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Take a look at the ideas that inspired the game and some of the inside jokes that were snuck in.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Her earliest tour, a virtual show streamed over Zoom during the pandemic, became so popular that fans started sharing links so others could sneak in and watch alongside them.
    — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of sneak

Phrases Containing snake

Browse Nearby Words

snails
snake
snakebit
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Cite this Entry

“Snake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snake. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on snake

Nglish: Translation of snake for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about snake

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