nests

Definition of nestsnext
plural of nest
1
as in centers
a place or environment that favors the development of something suspected that the elite private universities were a nest of antigovernment sentiments

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2
as in hideouts
a place where a person goes to hide or to avoid others headed back to her cozy nest in the mountains for a little rest and relaxation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 nests Scan treetops for high points with clear views of the surrounding landscape for nests. Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2026 As Interesting Engineering reported in July 2025, workers at the Savannah River Site discovered a series of radioactive wasp nests during routine inspections near the F-Area Tank Farm. Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 31 Dec. 2025 By 1985, just over 700 nests were documented, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 31 Dec. 2025 Receptacles in other rooms may contain tissues, cotton swabs, paper, lint, and other soft materials mice may use for their nests. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025 By analyzing the materials in these nests, archaeologists like me can learn more about the people who once lived nearby. Alexandria Mitchem Hansen, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025 Today, the sand is clean and dotted by beach lovers who are dedicated enough to walk a ways from the road to access a place that feels like magic, passing trees that shimmer like silver on the way (plus protected nests for piping plover chicks). Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2025 Includes quirky facts, adages, advice, quotes and proverbs, as well as articles about mistletoe, bird nests, perennials, timekeeping, recipes and more. Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Nov. 2025 Biologist and aquatic ecology expert Edinbergh Caldas Oliveira said the behavior is common when piranhas are defending their nests, per the outlet. Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nests
Noun
  • Roughly half of the nation’s major air traffic control centers are experiencing staff shortages, the Federal Aviation Administration told ABC News.
    Chase Jordan Updated November 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Even as this risk rises rapidly, there are still plans for launching mega constellations of tiny satellites akin to those that are already orbiting as part of SpaceX’s Starlink system, along with a newly emerging push for orbital data centers such as Nvidia’s Starcloud.
    Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • If this were true, Solomon would learn all of this elder’s secret hideouts and survival tricks, resulting in a formidable pair for any hunter to take on.
    Jim Tschetter, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2025
  • According to the Old Farmers Almanac, however, the moon’s name actually refers to the worm-like beetle larvae that come out from winter hideouts, such as thawing tree bark, during this time of year.
    Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • These can be found at nurseries or online retailers.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
  • To safeguard these coastal nurseries and mitigate these threats, Wildcoast, an ocean conservation organization, runs its Tidepool Ambassador Program, educating visitors on their importance.
    Lillie Mulligan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • These involve raiding the lairs of hoodlum rivals, then singlehandedly dissuading them from competition.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The ivory tower is losing luster by the second, after campuses around the country proved to be hotbeds of antisemitism, grade inflation has spiked rather than dissipated, and outrageous tuitions fund outlandish administrative salaries.
    Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
  • The armed forces are not often seen as hotbeds of creativity.
    Big Think, Big Think, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • At the heart of the unrest is a long-standing exemption that allows ultra-Orthodox men who study full-time in religious seminaries to avoid military service — a policy that many Israelis view as deeply unfair.
    Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Before the ban, police in Punjab raided the house of the TLP's leader, Saad Rizvi, and the government sealed mosques and seminaries associated with the party.
    NPR, NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Miller argues that universities are breeding grounds for ideological intolerance, laying blame on Marxist ideas.
    Mitch Picasso , Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025
  • How To Remove Mold from Shower Head Shower heads are breeding grounds for mold because of the constant moisture, humidity, and minerals that are found in some water supplies.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Nests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nests. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.

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