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
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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
-
Among the highlights is a chance to set foot on the coral island of Rurutu, with troglodyte caves and hiking routes.—
Chrissie McClatchie,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Such tools are only preserved in specific environments like in ice, caves or underwater.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
During summer months, the Wyandotte Caves attract visitors who wish to explore the unique underground caverns.—
Robert Annis,
Midwest Living,
19 Jan. 2026
-
While the lake is said to have been discovered in 1905 by a 13-year-old boy named Ben Sands, the surrounding caverns were used by the Cherokee, and 20,000-year-old jaguar tracks were also found there.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Grottoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grottoes. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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