as in to shed
to cast (a natural bodily covering or appendage) aside a crab molts its shell as it grows larger

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 molt And the protein this baby junco needs to molt its blotchy juvenile feathers and to grow sleek stone-gray feathers on top and white ones below would come only from bugs. Madeline Bodin, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2025 Key Takeaways After 17 years underground, an enormous brood of loud, molting cicadas is emerging this spring in parts of the southern and northeastern United States. Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 30 Apr. 2025 Hunting, mating, molting and laying eggs — all of it happens inside (or near) its diving bell. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025 Some scientists think that whales might also migrate to molt their skin in those same warm, shallow waters. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for molt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for molt
shed
Verb
  • An investigation by corruption specialist lawyer Natalia Volosin, published in Noticias magazine, sheds further light on businessman Leonardo Scatturice's dealings.
    Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • How does this series shed new light on the day-to-day lives of deaf people?
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Molt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/molt. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on molt

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!