Illustration of hermit crab
hermit crab
noun
: any of numerous chiefly marine small decapod crustaceans (especially families Diogenidae, Paguridae, and Parapaguridae) having soft asymmetrical abdomens and occupying the empty shells of gastropods
Examples of hermit crab in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Land hermit crabs spend most of their lives on land and only rarely enter the water.
—
Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
In the video, a hermit crab scuttles amongst numerous shells before choosing one to move into.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Eventually our guide Shayne saw something far smaller than a turtle: a strawberry hermit crab poking its delicate claws out of a shell.
—Tim Chester, AFAR Media, 17 Apr. 2025
Unfortunately, hermit crabs can struggle to find homes due to the over-collection of shells.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hermit crab
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.
Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
In the video, a hermit crab scuttles amongst numerous shells before choosing one to move into.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Eventually our guide Shayne saw something far smaller than a turtle: a strawberry hermit crab poking its delicate claws out of a shell.
—Tim Chester, AFAR Media, 17 Apr. 2025
Unfortunately, hermit crabs can struggle to find homes due to the over-collection of shells.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hermit crab
Cite this Entry
“Hermit crab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hermit%20crab. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share