alcoves

Definition of alcovesnext
plural of alcove
1
as in pavilions
a freestanding airy structure in a scenic setting (as a park) typically offering commanding views a small alcove in one corner of the backyard garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in nooks
a hollowed-out space in a wall an ancient vase in an alcove and a sculpture of Achilles on a stand in the museum's Greek Hall

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of alcoves Guests crunch through colorful seasonal salads, sip from an expansive wine list and dig into chef Alan Sternberg's inventive pasta dishes at snugly cloistered tables in wood and brick alcoves lined with paintings, books and even a handful of typewriters. Usa Today Network, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026 Elsewhere, the children’s bunkroom pairs two built-in bunks with two captain’s beds tucked in their own alcoves. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026 Guest quarters are immense, with sunken bathtubs, Porthault sheets upon request on beds in cozy alcoves, and either a terrace or a porch. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026 Upon entry, clients are ushered through a tunnel of golden arches that lead to the main hall, where skin diagnostics are made in three separate alcoves. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 Dec. 2025 Now, designers like Hám Interiors are making clever use of compact spaces by fitting bedrooms with alcoves that are both practical and aesthetically pleasing. Chloe Frost-Smith, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025 Inside the intimate cantina, a curved bar stands at the center of a domed space with alcoves around the edges. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2025 Sand and silt that settle from floodwaters in places that smaller flows never reach, such as caves or alcoves along the walls of bedrock canyons. Ellen Wohl august 20, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025 The lagoon has a few small alcoves and underwater benches to enjoy, as well as a cold plunge, a smaller hot bath, and natural steam baths. Maggie Fuller, AFAR Media, 1 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alcoves
Noun
  • Accessibility All of the dining venues and wellness facilities (including the yoga and fitness pavilions and spa treatment rooms) are accessible from within the first floor of the Estate House and the surrounding grounds; the Estate House, along with the Casitas, offer ADA rooms.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Summerfest, an independent music festival first held in 1968, has music in the American Family Insurance Amphitheater and a half-dozen other stages, plus in lounges and pavilions around the 75-acre festival grounds.
    Doug George, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The home is ideal for couples or solo travelers looking to unplug, with peaceful nooks throughout (including a highly Instagrammable bathtub facing the water).
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Inside, rather than succumbing to the pull of an open floor plan, Rai leaned into the home’s distinct zones and cozy nooks, which are evocative of another era.
    Linne Halpern, Architectural Digest, 12 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Alternately desolate and joyful, serene and psychedelic, the record is part astral journey and part inner reckoning, intent on blowing the cobwebs out of illness and grief’s dustiest corners.
    Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Scuffles have been known to break out near the track — perhaps over money changing hands in unseen corners during each race.
    Camilla Wright, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • In a region where the biggest and most expensive dominate the conversation, smaller Gulf states are still finding niches for themselves.
    Camilla Wright, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
  • And in the entryway, Lonstein carved out niches for antique shutters.
    Leonora Epstein, Architectural Digest, 13 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Alcoves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alcoves. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on alcoves

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!