protruded; protruding
: to jut out from the surrounding surface or context
a handkerchief protruding from his breast pocket
Did you know?
Since trudere means "to thrust" in Latin, protrude means basically "to thrust forward". If your neighbors' patio protrudes over your property boundary, you may want to discuss it with them. A protruding disc in your spine may have to be operated on sooner or later; superficial protrusions, such as corns or bunions, tend to be less serious than more deeply rooted ones.
Examples of protrude in a Sentence
His lower jaw protrudes slightly.
A handkerchief protruded from his shirt pocket.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sharks are often imagined cruising just beneath the waves, dorsal fin protruding from the dark, ocean waters to alert people of their incoming doom.
—
Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Hammer four nails about an inch apart into a cross shape at the center of your board so that the heads protrude at least an inch.
—Peter Barrett, Outside, 30 Aug. 2025
The veins in his glans protrude.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
After a nutria was tossed fifteen or twenty times, snotlike entrails began to protrude from the bullet holes, at which point Miss Louisiana, wrinkling her nose, would place it in a trash bucket and select a fresh carcass from the cooler.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for protrude
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Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Hammer four nails about an inch apart into a cross shape at the center of your board so that the heads protrude at least an inch.
—Peter Barrett, Outside, 30 Aug. 2025
The veins in his glans protrude.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
After a nutria was tossed fifteen or twenty times, snotlike entrails began to protrude from the bullet holes, at which point Miss Louisiana, wrinkling her nose, would place it in a trash bucket and select a fresh carcass from the cooler.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for protrude
Cite this Entry
“Protrude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/protrude. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
protrude
verb
pro·trude
prō-ˈtrüd 
protruded; protruding
: to cause to project
the mentalis raises and protrudes the lower lip—Gray's Anatomy
Gray's Anatomy
: to jut out from the surrounding surface
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