BEAD Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

bead 1 of 2

noun

ˈbēd

Definition of bead

as in glob

the quantity of fluid that falls naturally in one rounded mass squeeze a bead or two of glue onto the seam

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

bead

2 of 2

verb

as in to pearl

Related Words

Dissimilar 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 bead

Noun

The diamond ring and Baily’s beads will briefly reappear before the partial eclipse returns as the moon slowly moves across the sun. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026 As the moon slid into place over the sun, onlookers may have seen Baily’s beads—flashes of sunlight shining through valleys along the moon’s rugged limb. — Claire Cameron & Lee Billings, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026

Verb

The protective barrier causes water to bead up and roll off, preventing mineral deposits and stains. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 May 2026 Enroll in a Craft Class Many crafts stores offer hands-on activities for kids like scrapbooking, box decorating, bead stringing, pottery, and more. — Robin Westen, Parents, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bead

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bead

Noun

Throughout the week, nightstands tend to collect books, cups, charging cords, and the occasional water ring and glob of lotion residue, too.

— Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 16 June 2026
Instead of being rolled, the enchiladas are stacked with slivers of tortilla, then topped with the familiar glob of cheese.

— Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 June 2026

Definition of glob

Verb

The discovery and export of hydrocarbons in the 20th century transformed relatively small maritime trading and pearling societies into high-income states integrated into global energy markets.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Mar. 2026
In the summer of 2024, while visiting my grandmother in China, my husband gave me a pearl ring and asked if we could be pearled.

— Shayla Love, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2026

Definition of pearl

Verb

The cold air is the same, and the snow pellets my cap, sifts under my collar.

— Jonny Diamond, Literary Hub, 27 May 2025
The technique has produced delicious, consistent results from campsites in Big Sur, California, and Baja, Mexico—and in everything from frying oil to pellet grills to standard home ovens.

— Wes Siler, Outside Online, 25 Nov. 2024

Definition of pellet

Noun

By five years — with local jurisdictions setting specific timelines — homeowners would have to clear all vegetation from within a foot of a home, or out to the edge of the drip line under eaves if that’s a greater distance.

— Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
But there is a steady drip of research showing that AI is job-destructive at the edges.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of drip

Verb

The results will help segment POTS patients into more granular cohorts based on the source of their symptoms, rather than lumping them all together as Simo says the medical industry often does today.

— Emily Forlini, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
They were also lumped in with ska and reggae acts like the Slackers, Agent 99, and 32 Tribes.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of lump

Verb

The night culminated with a countdown as a glowing geodesic sphere 12 feet in diameter and weighing almost six tons descended from its lofty perch atop One Times Square.

— CBS News, CBS News, 1 Jan. 2023
But with those four, Grande was able to establish her credibility in the fragrance sphere early in her music career.

— Emily Jensen, Harper's BAZAAR, 16 Nov. 2022

Definition of sphere

Browse Nearby Words

beacons

bead

beaded

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bead. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bead

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on bead

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

august

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes