as in cave
a naturally formed underground chamber with an opening to the surface
at the heart of the shrine is a small rocky grotto into which pilgrims can descend
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Recent Examples of grotto
This one-bedroom Airbnb is on the ground floor of the villa and showcases the building’s original soaring stone arches and curved ceilings that evoke an ancient grotto.
—
Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 30 Mar. 2026
As the 14-year-old child of a poor family in 1858, Saint Bernadette experienced numerous apparitions of a young woman in a cave or grotto, seemingly the Virgin Mary, asking for a chapel to be built on the site.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
Highlights include Xi’an’s Terracotta Warriors, the cliffside grottoes of Dunhuang, and a camel ride across the dunes of the Gobi Desert.
—Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
For example, a fresco of Thecla – along with her mother and Paul – is depicted in a fifth- or sixth-century grotto just outside of Ephesus, an important city both in the Roman Empire and in early Christianity.
—Christy Cobb, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grotto
Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 30 Mar. 2026
As the 14-year-old child of a poor family in 1858, Saint Bernadette experienced numerous apparitions of a young woman in a cave or grotto, seemingly the Virgin Mary, asking for a chapel to be built on the site.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
Highlights include Xi’an’s Terracotta Warriors, the cliffside grottoes of Dunhuang, and a camel ride across the dunes of the Gobi Desert.
—Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
For example, a fresco of Thecla – along with her mother and Paul – is depicted in a fifth- or sixth-century grotto just outside of Ephesus, an important city both in the Roman Empire and in early Christianity.
—Christy Cobb, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for grotto
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotto
Noun
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Rent one from Sea Panarea to discover hidden coves, sea caves, and the nearby islets of Basiluzzo and Lisca before settling in for sunset Negronis at the see-and-be-seen Bar del Porto.—
Nicky Swallow,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
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Balance out from all the casino hype with an indulgent treatment or power nap in the salt cave.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
Noun
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They’re designed to be that way and will probably continue to function as sonic caverns so long as current aesthetics are in fashion.—
Allyson Reedy,
Denver Post,
13 May 2026
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By the fall of 2024, the cavern's pool contained 212 fish.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grotto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotto. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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