protrude

verb

pro·​trude prō-ˈtrüd 

protruded; protruding

intransitive verb

: to jut out from the surrounding surface or context

a handkerchief protruding from his breast pocket

transitive verb

1

: to cause to project

2

archaic : to thrust forward

protrusible

prō-ˈtrü-sə-bəl 

-zə-

adjective

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.

Synonyms of protrude

• poke
• bulge
• swell
• jut

Examples of protrude in a Sentence

His lower jaw protrudes slightly.

A handkerchief protruded from his shirt pocket.

Recent Examples on the Web

While Kali’s protruding tongue is sometimes interpreted as a gesture of embarrassment or shame, the Rolling Stones’ logo reimagines it as a symbol of protest and antiestablishment sentiment. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 July 2026

Archaeologists surveying the area in 2020 came across human bones protruding from the ground. — Allen Breed, Fortune, 17 July 2026

Next, plug the separate, short USB-C cable protruding from the back support bar into the port on the seat's base. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026

The small black object protruding underneath the door kept showing up and the woman told her mother about her suspicions. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin protrudere, from pro- + trudere to thrust — more at threat

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Rhymes for protrude

• accrued
• allude
• collude
• conclude
• construed
• debuted
• delude
• elude
• endued
• ensued
• eschewed
• etude

Kids Definition

protrude

verb

pro·​trude prō-ˈtrüd 

protruded; protruding

: to stick out or cause to stick out

Medical Definition

protrude

verb

pro·​trude prō-ˈtrüd 

protruded; protruding

transitive verb

: to cause to project

the mentalis raises and protrudes the lower lip

—Gray's Anatomy

intransitive verb

: to jut out from the surrounding surface