CAVE Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

cave 1 of 2

noun

ˈkāv

Definition of cave

as in cavern

a naturally formed underground chamber with an opening to the surface Kentucky's Mammoth Cave is actually a series of large chambers on five levels

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cave

2 of 2

verb

as in to submit

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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 cave

Noun

Arcadia Valley Missouri The hills, hollows, caves, and springs of the Missouri Ozarks all promise great fall drives. — Hannah Agran, Midwest Living, 12 Sep. 2026 The goal was to destroy the al-Qaida terrorist network responsible for the attacks and to track down its leader, Osama bin Laden, who was hiding in caves in the country’s mountainous terrain. — Michael Collins, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Verb

Workers were still trying to figure out what caused the surface of Southwest Trafficway to cave in near West 29th Street and Penn Valley Park, said Desmond Nugent, spokesperson for Kansas City’s Water Services Department. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026 Contact between the relevant parties is constant, however, and it’s believed that Brugge will eventually cave in if the Catalans offer slightly more and a high percentage of a future sale of the 18-year-old. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cave

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cave

Noun

Floating through crystal-clear water before hiking silently through cathedral-like caverns was easily the highlight of my time in the Mexican Caribbean and a reminder that one of the region's greatest attractions lies well beyond the beach.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026
At present, lithium-ion batteries excel at short-term electricity storage (hours), but hydrogen can be stored in large quantities in underground salt caverns for months, balancing seasonal swings in renewable energy production.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of cavern

Verb

Election officials would submit voters’ names, addresses, and corresponding barcode information through a portal operated by the federal government.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 6 Sep. 2026
Users submit coordinates of rat sightings (dead or alive), alongside a short report on the setting.

— Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of submit

Noun

Folk traditions also inform the wellness practices at the resort’s Waldorf Astoria Spa, which includes wet-area grottoes, steam rooms, and a saltwater meditation pool.

— Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2026
There are also three restaurants, a grotto-like spa, a wine cellar of 35,000 bottles, and a winter après-ski that draws in the entire valley.

— Erica Firpo, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of grotto

Verb

George Lucas, for his part, has suggested that bringing the Lucas Museum to fruition—a project beset by delays and controversy that has taken nearly a decade to realize—was a herculean effort.

— Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Andana Films heads to Le Havre with Gaza, a People’s History, which explores the history of Gaza with historians, experts, residents and witnesses of various conflicts that have beset the territory.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of beset

Verb

Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images An Amazon cargo jet on Sunday overran the runway at Miami International Airport.

— Alex Harring, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2026
The plane overran runway 30 on landing, struck navigational aids and hit a 2012 white Ford Econoline van owned by the Professional Ocean Service Corporation, a contract cleaning company for the airlines, Homendy said.

— Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of overrun

Browse Nearby Words

cavalrymen

cave

caveat

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“Cave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cave. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of cave

noun

verb

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Synonyms of cave

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Phrases Containing cave

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on cave

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

watershed

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Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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

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

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