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
In the spa’s sauna area, visitors can choose from a Finnish sauna, charcoal sauna, salt grotto, and an ice room, among other features.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Take 25 Hours, in Long Island City, for example, which is freighted with a depressing ambience that is equal parts chemistry lab and subterranean grotto.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for grotto
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Take 25 Hours, in Long Island City, for example, which is freighted with a depressing ambience that is equal parts chemistry lab and subterranean grotto.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for grotto
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grotto
Noun
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In Manatí, near a chain of Taíno caves and the Tortuguero Nature Reserve (the island’s only natural lagoon), Efrén David Robles is expanding the idea of what Puerto Rico offers beyond San Juan’s beaches and El Yunque National Forest.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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Exploring the caves of Phang Nga Bay by kayak is another memorable highlight.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
Noun
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Travelers can also enjoy nearby cenotes, natural swimming holes often found inside limestone caverns, and explore the Yucatán region’s iconic Mayan ruins.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
2 June 2026
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Water is a constant threat The men became trapped during an expedition to find gold within the cramped and muddy underground caverns.—
Kocha Olarn,
CNN Money,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grotto.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grotto. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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