as in holes
a sunken area forming a separate space
removal of the tree stump left a gaping pit in the yard
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Recent Examples of pits
Rebekah F. Ward, Houston Chronicle, 7 May 2026
There are two square holes in the stage — basically orchestra pits where the band resides.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 May 2026
Complimentary arts and craft sessions seemed to be a hit with that group, as were the free s’mores offered around the communal fire pits each evening.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026
On the south side of the building, the existing patio closest to Mule Alley will be expanded with bench seating, fire pits, and a pergola, according to renderings.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
And bear them off to hard labour in the grease pits.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
Weekends bring treasure-seekers to Shady Hollow Flea Market, while Fair Hills, one of our favorite lake resorts in the Midwest, offers an endearing old-school vibe with beach fire pits, ice cream socials, and the Hootenanny variety show on summer Tuesdays.
—Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 4 May 2026
Outside, guests have 15 acres to explore and can fill their day by playing games on the massive lawns, lounging in the Adirondack chairs facing the Straits of Mackinac and enjoying s’mores by the fire pits.
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 4 May 2026
The raging cartel war pits Los Chapitos and their allies against loyalists of Zambada.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
The cost estimate for cleanup of the underwater waste, known as the northern impoundment of the San Jacinto waste pits, has now climbed to a quarter of a billion dollars.
—Rebekah F. Ward, Houston Chronicle, 7 May 2026
There are two square holes in the stage — basically orchestra pits where the band resides.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 May 2026
Complimentary arts and craft sessions seemed to be a hit with that group, as were the free s’mores offered around the communal fire pits each evening.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026
On the south side of the building, the existing patio closest to Mule Alley will be expanded with bench seating, fire pits, and a pergola, according to renderings.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
And bear them off to hard labour in the grease pits.
—Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
Weekends bring treasure-seekers to Shady Hollow Flea Market, while Fair Hills, one of our favorite lake resorts in the Midwest, offers an endearing old-school vibe with beach fire pits, ice cream socials, and the Hootenanny variety show on summer Tuesdays.
—Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 4 May 2026
Outside, guests have 15 acres to explore and can fill their day by playing games on the massive lawns, lounging in the Adirondack chairs facing the Straits of Mackinac and enjoying s’mores by the fire pits.
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 4 May 2026
The raging cartel war pits Los Chapitos and their allies against loyalists of Zambada.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pits
Noun
-
That alone changes the math — his cardio dropoff against Strickland was directly tied to the weight cut, and removing that variable fixes one of the only real holes in his game.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
Bullet holes could be seen in the back door of one of the homes.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
The richest man alive, Elon Musk, has countered that taxing every billionaire at 100% barely dents the $39 trillion national debt.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The Red Wings’ penalty kill has been better on the whole this season, though an 0-for-3 showing certainly dents their numbers and drops them to 80 percent on the season.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The light triggered a chemical rearrangement inside the crystal, reshaping its internal architecture and creating tiny cavities capable of trapping water molecules from the air.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 May 2026
-
Brilliant knots of newborn stars, dark rivers of dust and glowing cavities carved by stellar winds combine to create a vivid portrait of galaxies in constant motion.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Young olive trees have smooth, gray bark, while the bark develops interesting furrows as the plant ages.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
22 Apr. 2026
-
This creates an intricate network of microscopic cracks that, in addition to visible furrows, help retain the water elephants douse themselves in to stay cool.—
Clare Watson,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
-
Zaragoza stationed his men on the high ground, hidden behind cacti, behind walls of dilapidated forts, in ditches.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pits. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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