alcoves

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

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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 By that time Dame Frances had established the idea of theaters of memory—imaginary architectural structures, replete with columns and alcoves and windows, where items can be placed for later recollection. Literary Hub, 13 May 2026 The food court was completely shuttered, and the Coca-Cola vending machines had been yanked from their alcoves. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026 Meanwhile, the two-story cottages include nap nooks, snug reading and rest alcoves. Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2026 The six individual bunkbed alcoves, built inside the airline's new fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, will have a lie-flat bed with a mattress, pillow, sheets, blanket and a seatbelt. Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026 The boards illustrate the two-story building with details such as white walls and a clay roof, alcoves and residential balconies facing the street. Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2026 The alcoves on the rotunda's first level long held Iowa units' battle flags, including the 2nd Infantry's scarred banner. Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alcoves
Noun
  • The week of previews leading up to the public opening was characterized by loud protests outside the Israeli and Russian pavilions.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 June 2026
  • According to an open letter published on e-flux, fifty-two artists, collectives, and estates taking part in the main exhibition, alongside sixteen artists exhibiting in national pavilions, on May 9 wrote to Biennale organizers asking to be excluded from consideration for the Visitors’ Lions.
    News Desk, Artforum, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • Start by making your way around the nooks and crannies of Bridgeway Promenade, Sausalito’s heart.
    Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 7 June 2026
  • The trick to creating a lush landscape that’s overflowing with blooms and color is to add trailing plants that will fill in all the nooks and crannies.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
Noun
  • An incomprehensible dropped fly ball to center had runners and the corners with two down.
    Matt Roy, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026
  • While there were some mixed emotions, there was also an understanding of what a trade of that magnitude signals from the front office, especially after the earlier additions of corners Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.
    Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • This convergence of people drew other economic activity, creating niches for shopkeepers, doctors, and lawyers.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 9 June 2026
  • Valles Marineris is an enormous rift valley system on Mars that scientists want to scour for traces of liquid water, which may exist in sheltered niches and serve as an habitat for possible life.
    Leonard David, Space.com, 31 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Alcoves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alcoves. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.

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