honeycomb

noun

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hon·ey·comb | \ ˈhə-nē-ˌkōm

Definition of honeycomb

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a mass of hexagonal wax cells built by honeybees in their nest to contain their brood and stores of honey

2 : something that resembles a honeycomb in structure or appearance especially : a strong lightweight cellular structural material

honeycomb

verb

honeycombed; honeycombing; honeycombs

Definition of honeycomb (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to cause to be full of cavities like a honeycomb

b : to make into a checkered pattern : fret

2a : to penetrate into every part : fill

b : subvert, weaken

intransitive verb

: to become pitted, checked, or cellular

Examples of honeycomb in a Sentence

Noun One of the honeycombs was empty.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Engineers have struggled with demands to blow a hole a half-mile long and 30 stories high in the side of a mountain, to house a honeycomb of hotels and residences. — Rory Jones, WSJ, "Saudi Crown Prince’s Vision for Neom, a Desert City-State, Tests His Builders," 1 May 2021 Fortunately, textile makers and designers are introducing bright, patterned fabrics like those seen here: splashed with color and printed with motifs including dragons, diamonds and honeycomb. — New York Times, "Playful Patterned Fabrics to Lift the Spirits," 23 Mar. 2021 In the cabin, supportive leather sports seats feature honeycomb stitching, and in our test car, the luxury package adds massaging front seats and sunshades. — Laura Burstein, Robb Report, "On the Road: The Audi RS Q8 Commands Attention Without Screaming for It," 16 Apr. 2021 Spinn Arkitekter designed Varden, a wooden cabin with a honeycomb-like structure, in collaboration with Format Engineers. — David Nikel, Forbes, "These Architects Are Reinventing Traditional Norwegian Log Cabins," 10 Apr. 2021 The polypropylene honeycomb core and premium graphite face is durable. — Chris Hachey, BGR, "Best Pickleball Paddle Set," 9 Mar. 2021 The polypropylene honeycomb core and premium graphite face is durable. — Chris Hachey, BGR, "Best Pickleball Paddle Set," 9 Mar. 2021 As seen in this viral video with more than 10 million views, these organizers snap together, creating a honeycomb shape that stores as many pairs of underwear as possible. — Rachel Dube, USA TODAY, "11 TikTok-famous products that will help you organize," 26 Mar. 2021 The method, which is named for the cotton honeycomb fabric it was once practiced on, originated in the 17th century in the Piemonte region of northwest Italy. — New York Times, "The Making of an Especially Intricate Fendi Baguette Bag," 19 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The white cabinets have two thin, vertical, honeycombed windows cut into each door, and the appliances — including the gas cooktop with built-in grill — are stainless steel. — John Ellement, Boston.com Real Estate, "Home of the Week: For $4.3 million, an oceanside Gloucester mansion with modern flair," 22 Jan. 2020 For years, Castle Rock State Park on the Santa Clara-Santa Cruz county line has been known for breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, honeycombed sandstone rock formations and adventure-seeking rock climbers. — Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, "Castle Rock State Park: Grand new $8.7 million entrance opens to public," 1 Aug. 2019 The freshwater canals that once honeycombed through the city earned it the name the Venice of the East. — Nabih Bulos, latimes.com, "Basra was once a jewel of a city. Now it's a symbol what's wrong in Iraq," 17 June 2018 They were honeycombed, more air than wood, chewed hollow by worms. — Earl Swift, Outside Online, "The Incredible True Story of the Henrietta C.," 20 June 2018 But most of the residents live in brick or concrete block dwellings along alleys and stairways that honeycomb the sides of Two Brothers Mountain. — Mimi Whitefield, miamiherald, "Young journalists bring the reailty of Brazil's favelas to print | Miami Herald," 17 Oct. 2017 Zinke has looked around his department and finds that it is honeycombed with traitors. — Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, "If You Know What You're Talking About, Get Out," 26 Sep. 2017 Britain is honeycombed with secretive institutions, particularly public schools and Oxbridge colleges, which have their own private languages. — The Economist, "To understand Britain, read its spy novels," 9 Sep. 2017 Morels are prized because of their unbeatable combination of flavor (full and hearty) and texture (honeycombed and sort of spongy). — Daniel Neman, sacbee.com, "Fungus in the kitchen? Delicious when it’s mushrooms," 13 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'honeycomb.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.