beaks

plural of beak
1
as in mandibles
the jaws of a bird together with their hornlike covering the bird cracked the walnut shell with its beak and ate its nut

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in noses
the part of the face bearing the nostrils and nasal cavity the man's prominent beak gives him a somewhat aquiline appearance

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in judges
chiefly British a public official having authority to decide questions of law received a stiff sentence from one of the harshest beaks in all of London

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 beaks The eagles fuss obsessively with their habitat, waddling around on their huge, scaly reptilian feet, moving sticks to and fro with their bony beaks. Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026 One suggestion is to get a plastic keyboard cover to keep their beaks away from the keys themselves (although, as many in the thread also point out, parrots are smart enough to just take that cover off to get to the sweet, sweet keys underneath). John Higgins, The Verge, 18 Aug. 2026 Scientists have also found giant squid beaks (its biting apparatus) in sperm whale stomachs. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2026 For instance, Puerto Rican anole lizards have developed longer limbs and larger toe pads for city life, and house finches show adapted beaks. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 The birds use their beaks to scoop up whatever comes their way. John Lauritsen, CBS News, 25 June 2026 The birds unhinged their beaks as if to make a loud sound. Literary Hub, 14 May 2026 These long, narrow flowers match the shape of the birds’ slender beaks and extendable tongues. Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 2026 The Giant Octopus Fossil That Unlocked Everything The discovery is based on giant octopus fossil evidence — specifically, fossilized beaks (jaws), which are the only hard parts of an octopus’s body and the only parts likely to survive over millions of years. Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beaks
Noun
  • Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s ongoing satirical series at first appalled many viewers with its resolute political incorrectness and penchant for four-letter words from the mouths of babes, and that was nowhere more evident than in Cartman himself.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Young children explore the world by touching, tasting and putting things in their mouths.
    Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Now the smell has gone, unforgotten by elderly noses but irretrievably extinct.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Machines meant to begin giving the shells perfectly smooth noses would, instead, mangle them into swirls that looked like soft-serve ice cream.
    ProPublica, ProPublica, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • When the judges announce Jude as the winner, Bi, Anna, and Joseph don’t look surprised, and each gets a small hopeful comment at the end.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The panel of three judges nominated by Democratic former President Joe Biden agreed with the plaintiffs that the president does not have the power to regulate states' election policy.
    NICHOLAS RICCARDI, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The species is distinguished by relatively large ears and broad snouts covered with fine hairs.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Halligan said breeds with short snouts like Bulldogs, Bullmastiffs and Pekingese pups are at greater risk, so are overweight animals and dogs with dark fur.
    Kara Finnstrom, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • At least 25 states are now enforcing laws or policies banning transgender women and girls from competing in at least some women’s and girls' sports and three others have adopted laws but have enforcement blocked by the courts.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • At least 25 states are now enforcing laws or policies banning transgender women and girls from competing in at least some women’s and girls’ sports and three others have adopted laws but have enforcement blocked by the courts.
    Steve Peoples, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Poetry on board On a visit to one of the boat schools this summer, 27 students sat on benches and recited Bangla poetry with their teacher.
    Ali Asif Shawon, NPR, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The Wood Chucks woodworking group has created benches and plant markers for the paths, among other projects.
    Erickson Senior Living, Charlotte Observer, 4 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beaks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beaks. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster