naiads

noun

variants or naiades
plural of naiad
1
as in nymphs
a mythical goddess represented as a young girl and said to live outdoors in Greek mythology, naiads supposedly drowned the young men with whom they became enamored

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in larvae
a young wingless often wormlike form (as a grub or caterpillar) that hatches from the egg of many insects students in science class learning how to distinguish a dragonfly naiad from an earthworm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for naiads
  1. nymphs
  2. mermaids
  3. dryads
Noun
  • After the eggs hatch, the young dragonflies, called nymphs, live underwater for at least six months and for up to five years for some species.
    — Olga R. Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Circe, the poem’s speaker, instructs the nymphs in a recipe for cooking pork.
    — Bailey Sincox, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of nymphs
Noun
  • Saturday, utilizes 56,000 square feet of indoor space to host more than 200 vendors, sword-fighting, costume contests, live musicians, mermaids, fairies and photo ops.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Artists, artisans, and food vendors, demonstrations of live combat styles including German longsword, fencing, and pirate swashbuckling, activities such as Squires’ spot with mermaids, games, and family entertainment.
    — Jeffrey F. Bill, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of mermaids
Noun
  • In the final novel of the series, The Last Battle, the destruction of trees and dryads in Lantern Waste, a place tied to the creation of Narnia itself, is one of many portentous omens signalling the end of the world.
    — Ellen Walker, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
Definition of dryads
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.

Browse Nearby Words

naiad
naiads
naïf
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Cite this Entry

“Naiads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/naiads. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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