as in disasters
something that has failed
the used car he bought turned out to be a lemon, and he soon had trouble starting the thing
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Recent Examples of lemons
For instance, Meyer lemons and mini tomatoes are much easier, says Chastain.
—
Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 16 Mar. 2026
Joy that, in many ways, started with lemons in a classroom in Santa Monica.
—Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Baby Fruits and Veggies Strawberries, lemons, limes, and carrots!
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 14 Mar. 2026
When spring gives you lemons, make this delicious pasta dinner.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
As is their wont, Israelis have made bomb shelter lemonade out of lemons in other ways.
—Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
Other citrus fruits, like lemons, limes, pomelos, and grapefruits, also have pith.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 11 Mar. 2026
Jordan Harrison and Sydney Shaw — two West Virginia starters — didn’t think anyone was paying attention Sunday afternoon when players grabbed their usual lemons from nutritionist Jonathan Wu before eventually taking down TCU 62-53 for the conference title.
—Grace Raynor, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
How is that 17 million times worse than Belvedere and soda in a short glass with three lemons, carcass out?
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 16 Mar. 2026
Joy that, in many ways, started with lemons in a classroom in Santa Monica.
—Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Baby Fruits and Veggies Strawberries, lemons, limes, and carrots!
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 14 Mar. 2026
When spring gives you lemons, make this delicious pasta dinner.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
As is their wont, Israelis have made bomb shelter lemonade out of lemons in other ways.
—Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
Other citrus fruits, like lemons, limes, pomelos, and grapefruits, also have pith.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 11 Mar. 2026
Jordan Harrison and Sydney Shaw — two West Virginia starters — didn’t think anyone was paying attention Sunday afternoon when players grabbed their usual lemons from nutritionist Jonathan Wu before eventually taking down TCU 62-53 for the conference title.
—Grace Raynor, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
How is that 17 million times worse than Belvedere and soda in a short glass with three lemons, carcass out?
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lemons
Noun
-
Consumer advocates and industry critics say that some of these companies are more interested in quick financial gains than lasting protection and might be siphoning profits instead of saving for future disasters.—
Scott Pham,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Indeed, the plot, as such, isn’t so much a narrative as a string of minor but incremental disasters that accrue after Carroll steps on a rusty nail in the back garden.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Previous disappointments aside, the Horns are still breathing.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
-
But since then, Netflix’s projects with the couple have been critical and ratings disappointments, including Harry’s documentary about the lives of wealthy, elite polo players.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Ford’s deployment is notable not only for its length but also its pace, with operations in two hemispheres, combat in the Middle East, and maintenance challenges, including recurring plumbing failures that drew public attention.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The foundation said that besides Lee's 911 call, at least four other 911 calls were made by others that day, including from her husband and people who saw parts of the crime unfolding -- but that communication failures and other issues prevented help from being sent.—
DAVID FISCHER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Ardeshir Zahedi eventually parted with him, saying in later years that accepting financial backing from foreigners and essentially asking them to drop bombs on their own country was un-Iranian.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
-
So far, the company’s foray into theatrical has been rocky, with several high-profile bombs and none of the kind of blockbusters that validate the studio’s expensive investment in the big screen.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The millions of dollars seeking to influence the outcome of Illinois’s races have been met with criticism from both winners and losers of these contests, sending a warning signal to major PACs and industries that the 2026 elections may be harder to influence than in previous cycles.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Mar. 2026
-
The quarterfinal losers went into playoffs at the Gold Coast for the fifth and sixth spots.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For the Hall of Fame section, the museum celebrates 49ers legends with busts, stories, and artifacts tied to specific players.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Stutz also created the two 8-foot-tall busts of a police officer and a firefighter that stand outside the Carlsbad Safety Training Center.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Not everyone can be Francis Ford Coppola, funding his own feverish catastrophes by selling off one of his vineyards.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Kennedy has made no bones about his misplaced skepticism of mRNA vaccines, pinging off the proliferating conspiracies around the COVID vaccines — incredible innovations that saved countless lives during one of the worst global catastrophes in recent memory.—
The Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Earlier springs and later arrivals of first frosts extend the pollen production season.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Tomatoes are heat-loving plants that can be damaged by late spring frosts.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lemons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lemons. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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