delves 1 of 2

Definition of delvesnext
plural of delve, archaic
as in caverns
a naturally formed underground chamber with an opening to the surface a poem in which a medieval knight encounters a mysterious beauty in a darkened delve

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

delves

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of delve

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for delves
Noun
  • Ice Castles in Silverton and Cripple Creek are a beloved stop for Coloradans and visitors to celebrate winter with slides, towers, tunnels and caverns.
    Christa Swanson, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
  • While the coffins weren't suspended on cliff faces, many were elevated on stilts and placed in hard-to-access caverns, again suggesting a purposeful and ceremonial ritual.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • As Polly excavates the darkest parts of herself, the film can’t string together a build to match the depths of her soul-searching.
    J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The hotel sits above a deep valley, with ancient caves built into the cliffs.
    Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
  • The park offers several hiking paths that explore caves along the base of the mountain and a trail that leads to the nearby town of Dénia.
    Liz Provencher, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Cal State Bakersfield 67 Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Stay at the Four Seasons Resort Nevis, which partners with Islander Watersports to offer excursions to scuba dive reefs, coral grottoes and shipwrecks just minutes from Pinney’s Beach.
    Adrienne Jordan, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
  • To keep things fresh, producers have ventured into hitherto uncharted baking grottoes.
    Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Delves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delves. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on delves

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!