1
as in mermaids
a mythical goddess represented as a young girl and said to live outdoors
she bought the book of fairy tales for the beautiful engravings of nymphs and fairies featured between the stories
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2
3
as in girls
a female person who has not yet reached adulthood
the neighborhood nymphs were gathered at the local pizza parlor
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Recent Examples of nymphs
Named after the sea nymphs of Greek mythology, Nereid is believed to be around 210 miles (338 kilometers) in diameter.
—
Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
August is when the season begins to ebb, with fewer nymphs around and eggs hatching larvae that are largely free of diseases.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Loosely based on the legends of the Nang Mai, Thailand’s mythical forest nymphs, the film is scripted by Patrick Graham, the writer behind Netflix’s Indian horror series Ghoul and Betaal, based on a concept by Songsak Mongkolthong (Graveyard Horror), who is also attached to direct.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Check not only for insects and their larvae or nymphs, but also for eggs, pupal structures, sticky honeydew, webbing, and tiny dark dots on stems and the backs of leaves.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2026
In early spring and summer, adult ticks and much smaller nymphs are present.
—Mike Stobbe, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026
The emergence of nymphs, along with more people spending time outdoors, are among the reasons tick bites tend to be highest in May.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
The eggs overwinter, and small nymphs emerge in the early spring.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Apr. 2026
Crappie like to hover below their prey, fining in place and examining slow-swimming invertebrates such as damselfly, dragonfly, and mayfly nymphs, as well as small leeches.
—Cory Schmidt, Outdoor Life, 15 Apr. 2026
Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
August is when the season begins to ebb, with fewer nymphs around and eggs hatching larvae that are largely free of diseases.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Loosely based on the legends of the Nang Mai, Thailand’s mythical forest nymphs, the film is scripted by Patrick Graham, the writer behind Netflix’s Indian horror series Ghoul and Betaal, based on a concept by Songsak Mongkolthong (Graveyard Horror), who is also attached to direct.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Check not only for insects and their larvae or nymphs, but also for eggs, pupal structures, sticky honeydew, webbing, and tiny dark dots on stems and the backs of leaves.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2026
In early spring and summer, adult ticks and much smaller nymphs are present.
—Mike Stobbe, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026
The emergence of nymphs, along with more people spending time outdoors, are among the reasons tick bites tend to be highest in May.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
The eggs overwinter, and small nymphs emerge in the early spring.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Apr. 2026
Crappie like to hover below their prey, fining in place and examining slow-swimming invertebrates such as damselfly, dragonfly, and mayfly nymphs, as well as small leeches.
—Cory Schmidt, Outdoor Life, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nymphs
Noun
-
In the lagoon room, see more mermaids!—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
Greek director Konstantina Kotzamani’s Titanic Ocean, coming-of-age tale set in a special boarding school in Japan that trains teenage girls into professional mermaids, will also debut in Un Certain Regard.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Beyond the decor, this was a great room for entertaining during our girls weekend, thanks to the formal dining area and entertaining parlor that fits up to ten.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Amid backlash, the California Interscholastic Federation reintroduced a pilot policy allowing additional girls to receive podium spots or medals in events where they were displaced by a biological male athlete.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
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
Noun
-
This day in sports history 1946 — Two-year-old fillies Chakoora and Uleta become the first thoroughbreds to complete a transcontinental flight.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
-
The race is a prelude to the Preakness, featuring 3-year-old fillies (female race horses).—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nymphs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nymphs. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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