plural snorkels
1
: a plastic tube that allows a swimmer to breathe while keeping the head or face under the surface of the water
He swam about 250 yards on the surface, using a snorkel to breathe, to get past the barren sandy bottom.—
Brian Clark
Brian ClarkNo complicated equipment—just a mask, snorkel, and fins, and you're set to explore a shimmering world of exotic fish and Technicolor coral.—Richard Alleman
Richard Alleman2
: a tube housing air intake and exhaust pipes for a vehicle's engine that can be extended above the water's surface so that the engine can be operated while the vehicle is partially or fully submerged
Water entered the snorkel of an Argentine submarine and caused one of its batteries to short circuit before the vessel went missing this month, a navy spokesman said Monday.—Chicago Tribune
Chicago TribuneMost need to be specially modified … with extra ground clearance to get over big rocks, an exhaust snorkel for river crossings, industrial-strength suspension, and an engine with enough torque to power through mud and sand.—Jerry Guo
Jerry GuoExamples of snorkel in a Sentence
Verb
We snorkeled in the Caribbean on our vacation last year.
Recent Examples on the WebLeilani Marie Labong, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2024
This summer, high schoolers will be taking a trip to the Bahamas to learn about how to protect dolphins, snorkel shipwrecks and observe firsthand from Shedd’s shark research biologist.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024
Location: Overseas Highway, mile marker 102.5, Key Largo Contact: 305-676-3777
Indian Key Historic State Park
Like other parks in the Keys, Indian Key is a great spot to sunbathe, snorkel and kayak.
—Emma Janssen, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024
At least three ladder trucks with snorkel units, or cherry pickers, were pouring water on the blaze as more firefighters wielded hoses and other gear on the ground, aerial footage from CNN affiliates WDIV and WXYZ shows.
—Rob Frehse, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024
Swim, snorkel, or paddle through Biscayne National Park.
—Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2024
Visitors can rent snorkel gear or purchase fresh fruit from local vendors.
—USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024
Things to Do on Maui Book a snorkel tour, then spend the day at Ka'anapali Beach.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2024
Further options include an engine-bay snorkel, a front bull bar, a winch, and the addition of rear jump seats.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2024
Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024
When exploring some of the smaller islands, like Ios, Folegandros, and Milos, swim, snorkel, and wander the fortress-like capital of each island.
—Eleni N. Gage, Travel + Leisure, 1 Apr. 2024
How Much Should You Budget for a Solo Trip To Hawaii?
From snorkeling to hiking, many of the best things to do in Hawaii are free.
—Brittany Anas, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Visitors can scuba dive or snorkel to explore the coral reefs and swim with dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center.
—Kara Franker, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024
On Instagram, a video of him snorkeling off the shores of Hawaii with a shark advocate and environmental influencer was shared to the influencer’s 1.9 million followers.
—Makena Kelly, WIRED, 7 Feb. 2024
Those who want more of a thrill can try out the four-story waterslide that empties into the ocean, go snorkeling or take one of the free bikes out for a ride.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024
Roatán lies at the southern end of the six-mile-long Mesoamerican Reef (second only to the Great Barrier Reef in size) and promotes scuba and snorkeling to encourage tourism.
—Nora Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2024
In fact, most of the expedition team had never snorkeled the center of the Coral Triangle due to its extremely remote nature, and were similarly gobsmacked.
—Scott Bay, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
According to the Trilogy crew, more than 25 percent of Hawai’i’s ocean species are endemic due to the archipelago’s isolation, making every snorkel trip that much more special.
—Leilani Marie Labong, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2024
This summer, high schoolers will be taking a trip to the Bahamas to learn about how to protect dolphins, snorkel shipwrecks and observe firsthand from Shedd’s shark research biologist.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024
Location: Overseas Highway, mile marker 102.5, Key Largo Contact: 305-676-3777
Indian Key Historic State Park
Like other parks in the Keys, Indian Key is a great spot to sunbathe, snorkel and kayak.
—Emma Janssen, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024
At least three ladder trucks with snorkel units, or cherry pickers, were pouring water on the blaze as more firefighters wielded hoses and other gear on the ground, aerial footage from CNN affiliates WDIV and WXYZ shows.
—Rob Frehse, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024
Swim, snorkel, or paddle through Biscayne National Park.
—Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2024
Visitors can rent snorkel gear or purchase fresh fruit from local vendors.
—USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024
Things to Do on Maui Book a snorkel tour, then spend the day at Ka'anapali Beach.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2024
Further options include an engine-bay snorkel, a front bull bar, a winch, and the addition of rear jump seats.
—Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2024
Verb
These include longtime must-dos like snorkeling in Jellyfish Lake as well as surprises like a historic World War II tour on Peleliu island and a visit to the ancient stone monoliths of Ngarchelong.
—Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024
When exploring some of the smaller islands, like Ios, Folegandros, and Milos, swim, snorkel, and wander the fortress-like capital of each island.
—Eleni N. Gage, Travel + Leisure, 1 Apr. 2024
How Much Should You Budget for a Solo Trip To Hawaii?
From snorkeling to hiking, many of the best things to do in Hawaii are free.
—Brittany Anas, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Visitors can scuba dive or snorkel to explore the coral reefs and swim with dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center.
—Kara Franker, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024
On Instagram, a video of him snorkeling off the shores of Hawaii with a shark advocate and environmental influencer was shared to the influencer’s 1.9 million followers.
—Makena Kelly, WIRED, 7 Feb. 2024
Those who want more of a thrill can try out the four-story waterslide that empties into the ocean, go snorkeling or take one of the free bikes out for a ride.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024
Roatán lies at the southern end of the six-mile-long Mesoamerican Reef (second only to the Great Barrier Reef in size) and promotes scuba and snorkeling to encourage tourism.
—Nora Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2024
In fact, most of the expedition team had never snorkeled the center of the Coral Triangle due to its extremely remote nature, and were similarly gobsmacked.
—Scott Bay, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'snorkel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near snorkel
Cite this Entry
“Snorkel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snorkel. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
snorkel
1 of 2 noun
snor·kel
ˈsnȯr-kəl 
1
: a tube or tubes that can be extended above the surface of the water to supply air to and remove exhaust from a submerged submarine
2
: a tube used by swimmers for breathing with the head under water
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