variants
also grottos
as in caves
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of grottoes
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
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
Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grottoes
Noun
-
The geckos were found living around karst rock formations — a type of landscape shaped by the dissolution of soluble rock, typically characterized by dramatic caves, crevices and rugged rocky terrain.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
-
These geckos live around karst rock formations — terrain shaped by limestone dissolution into caves, crevices and jagged outcrops.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hydrogen produced using renewable electricity could be pumped into these caverns when supply is abundant.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Feb. 2026
-
This extensive network of limestone caverns and underground waterways carved by the Río Camuy will reopen to the public in 2026, after being closed due to Hurricane Maria and then closed again after Hurricane Fiona.—
Kathleen Rellihan,
Outside,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grottoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grottoes. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
