Illustration of tendril
- tendril 1
1
: a leaf, stipule, or stem modified into a slender spirally coiling sensitive organ serving to attach a climbing plant to its support
2
: something suggestive of a tendril
creeping tendrils of fog
Examples of tendril in a Sentence
A few tendrils of hair framed her face.
Recent Examples on the Web
Aeolids are covered in cerata—fleshy growths that resemble anemone tendrils, only shorter.
—
Helen Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
By the early 1980s, after the river had been dammed to create a spectacular lake with many tendrils of waterways, the location—midway between Atlanta and Augusta—proved the perfect place to lay down permanent roots.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024
The Climbing Vine rug has been refreshed with an olive green background bordered by chartreuse tendrils.
—Jo Rodgers Jameson Montgomery Roxanne Fequiere Emilia Petrarca Kate Guadagnino Sophie Bew, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024
The casings will have long tendrils in order to attach to seaweed or debris, according to the Shark Research Institute.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
Where cars and crowds of people once massed, only tendrils of smoke rise from smoldering piles of trash, sending a bitter taste into the air.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024
Gnarly and dirty, with bumps and tendrils, celery root appears to challenge your imagination.
—Joe Yonan, Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2024
The sheer beige chiffon dress is marked by an asymmetrical neckline and shredded tendrils of a hemline, with layers of ruffles over the bust and hips.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 25 Feb. 2024
Middle parts and sleek side tendrils, which pulled inspiration from early aughts style (think Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie in The Simple Life), have already had their retro moment.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 8 Feb. 2024
Helen Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
By the early 1980s, after the river had been dammed to create a spectacular lake with many tendrils of waterways, the location—midway between Atlanta and Augusta—proved the perfect place to lay down permanent roots.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024
The Climbing Vine rug has been refreshed with an olive green background bordered by chartreuse tendrils.
—Jo Rodgers Jameson Montgomery Roxanne Fequiere Emilia Petrarca Kate Guadagnino Sophie Bew, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024
The casings will have long tendrils in order to attach to seaweed or debris, according to the Shark Research Institute.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
Where cars and crowds of people once massed, only tendrils of smoke rise from smoldering piles of trash, sending a bitter taste into the air.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024
Gnarly and dirty, with bumps and tendrils, celery root appears to challenge your imagination.
—Joe Yonan, Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2024
The sheer beige chiffon dress is marked by an asymmetrical neckline and shredded tendrils of a hemline, with layers of ruffles over the bust and hips.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 25 Feb. 2024
Middle parts and sleek side tendrils, which pulled inspiration from early aughts style (think Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie in The Simple Life), have already had their retro moment.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 8 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tendril.' 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 tendril
Cite this Entry
“Tendril.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tendril. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tendril
noun
ten·dril
ˈten-drəl 
1
: a slender leafless winding stem by which some climbing plants fasten themselves to a support
2
: something that curls like a tendril
tendrils of hair
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