maw

noun

Definition of mawnext
as in mouth
literary the mouth, jaws, or throat of an animal the gaping maw of the tiger

Related 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 maw Decapitated, the fairy of Smoking with Oneself (2021–26) puffs a cigarette from the gaping red maw of her throat. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026 Who shall enter the cavernous maw of our fair stadium next? — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 27 June 2026 Their lips, jaws, and the interior of their maws are—in terms of rigidity—akin to a ceramic dinner plate. — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026 Or perhaps an alien predator with a maw of steel has descended on the center of Washington to beam up the executive branch. — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for maw
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maw
  1. mouth
  2. jaws
  3. gullet
Noun
  • But no sooner did the words leave his mouth than the man’s eyelids fluttered open.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Clark briefly left the court with blood pouring from her mouth.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of mouth
Noun
  • Up close, its elongated head, skeletal body and glistening double set of jaws reveal just how much unsettling detail goes into a creature often glimpsed onscreen in darkness.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Firefighters needed to use the jaws of life to rescue someone from one of the vehicles.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of jaws
Noun
  • Willie the Whale is a sculptural cetacean that invites guests to climb into its gullet to watch a show.
    — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 13 July 2026
  • That public has continually widened its gullet and gulped.
    — Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Definition of gullet

Browse Nearby Words

mavericks
maw
mawkish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Maw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maw. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of discreet

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All