variants
or phalanges
as in groups
formal
a large collection of people, animals, or things often placed close together
A solid phalanx of armed guards stood in front of the castle. She had to go through a phalanx of television cameras.
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Recent Examples of phalanxes
Limbs are quickly assembled from shoulders and hips down to the phalanges.
—
Jeff Wilson, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
Jennifer Lawrence, who recently accessorized her black-and-white Lii dress with a slew of silver rings across her phalanges.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2025
In earlier times, ungulate toe-bones (phalanges) were commonly used across various cultures to make ornaments, game pieces, handles, and figurines.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025
The further out one is known as the interphalangeal joint because your toe has two bones, the distal and the proximal phalanges.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Jeff Wilson, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
Jennifer Lawrence, who recently accessorized her black-and-white Lii dress with a slew of silver rings across her phalanges.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2025
In earlier times, ungulate toe-bones (phalanges) were commonly used across various cultures to make ornaments, game pieces, handles, and figurines.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025
The further out one is known as the interphalangeal joint because your toe has two bones, the distal and the proximal phalanges.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phalanxes
Noun
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The report also noted that two separate client groups from Blackbird Mountain Guides — one a group of female friends with two guides, the other a trio of men with two guides — had been combined into a party of 15 for the trip out to the Castle Peak Snowpark trailhead beside I-80.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
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The vote marks the first time administrators have joined a strike alongside other LAUSD unions and aligns all three major labor groups in a coordinated potential walkout, raising the likelihood of widespread disruptions in the nation’s second-largest school district.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Outfield requires far more starting spots, and most of those available later in drafts are locked in platoons.—
Dalton Del Don,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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According to the Defense official, the Army plans to ramp up training over the next year, eventually sending in platoons of some 40 soldiers at a time to train.—
Anne Flaherty,
ABC News,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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As of 2024, Cuba had 54 brigades with more than 22,600 medical workers, according to Granma, the official newspaper of Cuba's communist party.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
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The Artesh ground forces, which include tens of brigades, are positioned primarily to defend Iran’s borders, according to Carl’s report.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
When in a forest, stay in proximity to shorter tree groupings.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Codas, or groupings of clicks, were longer during the birth and then became shorter after the newborn emerged, the authors wrote in Scientific Reports.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Authorities later executed multiple search warrants and collected items from the home, including exercise bands, medications, electronic devices, notebooks, clothing and a knife.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The high school musicians are already winners in that they were chosen to compete out of 119 other high school jazz bands from around the world.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In 2023, Berkeley fire officials warned that at least six fires in a short period were caused by batteries for electric skateboards, scooters and at least one bike that had been left unattended while charging.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
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These batteries contain substantial volumes of acid that are typically neutralized after lead recovery, creating additional waste.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But the livers of some patients have been found to contain clusters of cells that produce an enzyme capable of breaking down the toxins.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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The two nearly identical side-by-side clusters are approximately 7,000 light-years apart.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For many years, the top pick was determined by a coin flip between the worst teams in the Western and Eastern Conferences.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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When the teams met earlier this season on Black Friday, UConn easily handled Illinois in a 74-61 victory.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phalanxes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phalanxes. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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