Illustration of weevil
: any of a superfamily (Curculionoidea) of beetles which have the head prolonged into a more or less distinct snout and which include many that are destructive especially as larvae to nuts, fruit, and grain or to living plants
especially
: any of a family (Curculionidae) having a well-developed snout curved downward with the jaws at the tip and clubbed usually elbowed antennae
Examples of weevil in a Sentence
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Some common pests that may affect your orchid include weevils, sowbugs, springtails, snails, scale, thrips, mealybugs, and spider mites.
—
Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 8 Feb. 2026
The most effective insects in controlling the plant are the seedhead weevil — already widespread in Michigan, and permits have been approved for this species to be released in the state in the past — and the root-boring weevil, which has not shown to be widely distributed in Michigan.
—Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Natchez has attracted tourists to its primo position on the Mississippi River ever since the boll-weevil knocked out its cotton crop.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
The weevil is a type of beetle that has threatened and killed palm trees across La Jolla and elsewhere in the San Diego region for years.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
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Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 8 Feb. 2026
The most effective insects in controlling the plant are the seedhead weevil — already widespread in Michigan, and permits have been approved for this species to be released in the state in the past — and the root-boring weevil, which has not shown to be widely distributed in Michigan.
—Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Natchez has attracted tourists to its primo position on the Mississippi River ever since the boll-weevil knocked out its cotton crop.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
The weevil is a type of beetle that has threatened and killed palm trees across La Jolla and elsewhere in the San Diego region for years.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for weevil
Cite this Entry
“Weevil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weevil. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
weevil
noun
wee·vil
ˈwē-vəl 
: any of a family of mostly small beetles that have the head long and usually curved downward to form a snout bearing the jaws at the tip and that include many that feed on and are very harmful to plants or plant products (as nuts, fruit, and grain) especially as larvae
called also snout beetle
compare boll weevilLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
