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as in defect
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing
local residents regard the hulking apartment building as a hideous excrescence on their once-lovely street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples of excrescence in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
It was argued that the condition of Russia was a special one; that, elsewhere, the problem was rather one of dealing with the excrescences of the capitalist system than with capitalism itself.
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Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011
But if the art market seems like an excrescence on a more limited and refined definition of the art world — focused on art, artists, museums, nonprofit arts organizations and the passion of art lovers and connoisseurs — then Sotheby’s capture of the building is impossible to celebrate.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 6 June 2023
One suspects that that weird brown hair-excrescence thing had something to do with it.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 15 Jan. 2021
Each generation sees the technological advances of the previous era—no matter how near—as excrescences of an ancient world.
—Maël Renouard, Harper's Magazine, 27 Apr. 2020
His nationalism, in expression hyperbolic enough, essentially takes the form of virulent tropes of anti-socialism, anti-feminism and homophobia, excrescences alien to the Brazilian soul.
—Will Meyer, Longreads, 4 Oct. 2019
This concrete excrescence, remnant of a barbaric plan to encase the city in freeways, isn’t necessary and could be scrubbed off the landscape with a little bit of enlightened leadership.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2019
Various external forces coincided to make Kuma’s flirtation with monumental excrescences an abortive one.
—Nikil Saval, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2018
His evidence comes not only from obscure and difficult literary testimonia but from tree rings, ice cores and speleothems (excrescences found in caves from which ancient humidity levels can be deduced).
—James Romm, WSJ, 27 Oct. 2017
Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011
But if the art market seems like an excrescence on a more limited and refined definition of the art world — focused on art, artists, museums, nonprofit arts organizations and the passion of art lovers and connoisseurs — then Sotheby’s capture of the building is impossible to celebrate.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 6 June 2023
One suspects that that weird brown hair-excrescence thing had something to do with it.
—Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 15 Jan. 2021
Each generation sees the technological advances of the previous era—no matter how near—as excrescences of an ancient world.
—Maël Renouard, Harper's Magazine, 27 Apr. 2020
His nationalism, in expression hyperbolic enough, essentially takes the form of virulent tropes of anti-socialism, anti-feminism and homophobia, excrescences alien to the Brazilian soul.
—Will Meyer, Longreads, 4 Oct. 2019
This concrete excrescence, remnant of a barbaric plan to encase the city in freeways, isn’t necessary and could be scrubbed off the landscape with a little bit of enlightened leadership.
—Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2019
Various external forces coincided to make Kuma’s flirtation with monumental excrescences an abortive one.
—Nikil Saval, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2018
His evidence comes not only from obscure and difficult literary testimonia but from tree rings, ice cores and speleothems (excrescences found in caves from which ancient humidity levels can be deduced).
—James Romm, WSJ, 27 Oct. 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'excrescence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Excrescence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excrescence. Accessed 16 Sep. 2024.
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