sandcastle

noun

sand·​cas·​tle ˈsan(d)-ˌka-səl How to pronounce sandcastle (audio)
variants or sand castle
: a small model of a castle or other structure that is made with sand on a beach
Ruth lay beside Piet unhappily, not quite ready to bask and beautify herself like a teenager, yet too old for sandcastles.John Updike
"What you want is a change of air. We will pop down together hand in hand this week-end to some seaside resort. You shall build sand castles, while I lie on the beach and read the paper."P. G. Wodehouse

Examples of sandcastle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The chic canteen would only be in place for the night before disappearing, a wildly detailed and expensive sandcastle washed away in a sea of black Escalades. Josh Condon, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2024 In addition to hiking, golfing, and biking in the more mainland areas, the waterways offer opportunities for paddleboarding, fishing, boat tours, and even sandcastle lessons. Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2024 Indeed, in a political moment like this one, worrying about the niceties of progressive reform at all may appear as self-distracting as a beachgoer worrying about sandcastle architecture as the sea pulls back on the brink of a tsunami. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 22 July 2024 The over-all likelihood is that Labour will win a mandate that is enormous and fragile at the same time—an electoral sandcastle. Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 29 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for sandcastle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sandcastle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sandcastle was in 1854

Dictionary Entries Near sandcastle

Cite this Entry

“Sandcastle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sandcastle. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!