1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

beetle 1 of 2

verb

Definition of beetlenext
as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point houses in the town commonly have second stories that beetle over the ground floors, and the overhang is known as a "bump"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

beetle

2 of 2

noun

as in hammer

Related 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 beetle
Verb
Persistent drought has led to beetle infestations in the state’s ponderosa and piñon pine forests. — Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 28 Mar. 2026 Jonathan Carver, suggest the name may also refer to beetle larvae emerging from thawing tree bark. — Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
Something of a memento mori, the necklace flips the script on the beetle's role as the harbinger of untimely death in the original film and becomes instead a protective talisman for its wearer. — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 One more thing (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) Have you recently been divebombed by a big green beetle? — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beetle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beetle
  1. protrude
  2. hammer
  3. poke
  4. mallet
  5. bulge
  6. cane
  7. sledgehammer
  8. maul
Verb
  • As has the part where Reacher uses his left paw with two nails protruding from the palm as a makeshift Wolverine/Freddy Krueger stabbin’ hand.
    — Chris Klimek, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
  • For the hunters, a massive grey orb with a ramp protruding from it is one clue.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of protrude
Noun
  • To break down a plastic bottle, science doesn’t need a hammer, but a microscopic scalpel.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The leaf design was surprisingly complicated and required many trips to the forge and a power hammer to get it just right.
    — Sarah Wood González, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of hammer
Verb
  • Flip and continue to cook until the flesh begins to flake when poked with a fork, 1 to 2 minutes.
    — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Don’t bury the rhizomes when planting—the tops should just poke above the soil surface.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of poke
Noun
  • Perez was assaulted by two men who used a bicycle and a mallet as weapons.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet, pound the chicken to a uniform 1/2-inch thickness.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of mallet
Verb
  • Her bulging eyes, her piercing shrieks, her casual yet immaculately articulate cruelty all come together to form a cartoonish villain who’s also a commanding delight.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2026
  • This duality isn’t immediately obvious in the woman who greets me at her door in New York City with a bulging plastic bag of breakfast food and a wide, open smile.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of bulge
Noun
  • Godshalk encouraged us to try banding the river cane—a technique involving tying or wrapping groups of stems for decorative purposes.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 19 Sep. 2026
  • In additional footage, the user is seated on top of a seated walker with a cane in hand.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of cane
Noun
  • Its leader, Sergei Mironov, 73, once gained headlines by posing with a symbol of brutality — a sledgehammer given to him by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the late Wagner mercenary leader shortly before his failed 2023 mutiny.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Whatever is decided in November, Sterling has taken a sledgehammer to his own reputation.
    — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of sledgehammer
Noun
  • Numia prevented an early Bulls lineout maul try then the All Blacks shoved the Bulls' five-meter attacking scrum backwards.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • While many college corners lean on lax officiating to grab and maul, Johnson stays disciplined.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Definition of maul

Browse Nearby Words

bees in one's bonnet
beetle
beetled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beetle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beetle. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of confabulate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All