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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Most visitors come for the underground experience of the cave itself, but there's plenty of aboveground adventures to be had, too, including miles of hiking trails, biking, canoeing and kayaking on the Green and Nolin Rivers, and horseback riding.—
Dave Parfitt,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
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Companion destination Top of the Rock Ozarks Heritage Preserve features golf, a cave and nature trail, multiple restaurants, and a museum, all situated to showcase every sunset over the lake.—
Jess Hoffert,
Midwest Living,
9 May 2026
Noun
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By the fall of 2024, the cavern's pool contained 212 fish.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
7 May 2026
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Fire made the inhospitable conditions of caves more bearable, as caverns were often cold, dark, damp, and home to other residents like lions, bears, and hyenas, which had to be displaced.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grotto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotto. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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