1
as in snake
a limbless reptile with a long body
an Aztec carving of a feathered serpent representing the god Quetzalcoatl
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2
3
as in traitor
one who betrays a trust or an allegiance
a serpent in their midst had betrayed the revolutionaries to the authorities
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of serpent
Those serpents include six rattlesnake species and non-rattlers, such as the Copperhead, Water Moccasin (or Cottonmouth) and Eastern Coral snakes.
—
Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Slowly, very slowly, the serpent’s erectile head came up, up, cantilevered from its upper body, its firm, columnar upper body.
—John McPhee, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
And if a mother kept a piece of jasper on hand throughout her child’s infancy, they would both be protected from malign spirits of the air and from the tongue of the ancient serpent that was hell‑bent on ensnaring newborns.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
If this animal sounds like a Burmese python, that’s because the serpent-like fish — known as Asian swamp eels — have a lot in common with the big, invasive constrictors.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for serpent
Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Slowly, very slowly, the serpent’s erectile head came up, up, cantilevered from its upper body, its firm, columnar upper body.
—John McPhee, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
And if a mother kept a piece of jasper on hand throughout her child’s infancy, they would both be protected from malign spirits of the air and from the tongue of the ancient serpent that was hell‑bent on ensnaring newborns.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
If this animal sounds like a Burmese python, that’s because the serpent-like fish — known as Asian swamp eels — have a lot in common with the big, invasive constrictors.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for serpent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serpent
Noun
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Additional images showed an unknown number of snakes curled on top of one another inside a large crate that was placed in the back of an officer’s vehicle.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
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The new series was filmed primarily outdoors in Texas, presenting challenges like extreme heat and venomous snakes.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Noun
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The Comedy Central series' new episode, which aired Wednesday, continued its season-long thread of mocking Trump and depicting him in a romantic relationship with Satan.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
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The show continues to run with its gag of depicting Trump with comically small genitals and as Satan’s lover.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In doing so, Din becomes a traitor to his bounty hunter guild, led by Greef Karga (Carl Weathers).—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
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As a result, he was tried in absentia, declared a traitor and subjected to the state’s harshest penalties.—
Kimberly Nath,
The Conversation,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Dangerous reptiles like cobras, mambas, vipers, anacondas and rattlesnakes are all banned from private ownership.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
7 Apr. 2026
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Once revived, the viper immediately bites the farmer.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This is the aforementioned devil’s chair.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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And, yes, there is a literal devil in this one, which won’t be a surprise to anyone familiar with LaValle’s novel.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
Noun
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It’s been three years since Spoon’s last album, Lucifer on the Sofa.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
26 Aug. 2025
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Griffin’s other credits include The Bad Guy, Jersey Boys, Lucifer and S.W.A.T., to name just a few.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Serpent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serpent. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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