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
Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
The Pickleball Trials take place on Monday, March 30 – this one pits band members Rivers Cuomo, Scott Shriner, Patrick Wilson and Brian Bell against fans in a pickleball tournament.
—Peter Larsen, Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
The basketball bacchanal is the thing – swapping pep bands in end zone pits and dancing mascots and eight teams taking one court chasing after the same singular prize.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
The boundaries of the necropolis are not clearly defined, scientists said, noting modern planting pits, ditches and agricultural work have obliterated several tombs.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
Enter the Packfire, which takes the clean-burning, nearly smokeless system of high-end fire pits and builds it into a collapsible package designed for car camping.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 20 Mar. 2026
Bulldozers dug pits in a Kabul cemetery before Wednesday's mass funeral, which Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said was for more than 50 people whose remains couldn't be identified.
—Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026
Mass funeral in Kabul Bulldozers dug pits in a Kabul cemetery before Wednesday’s mass funeral, which Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said was for more than 50 people whose remains couldn’t be identified.
—Abdul Qahar Afghan, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Standing water, rain, pollen, and leaves can also leave their mark, and debris can build up in pits, cracks, and pores.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Noun
The site is 30 minutes away from the Pacific Coast and offers an array of amenities including pools, a spa, fire pits, wellness center and dog parks.
—Sacbee.com, 26 Mar. 2026
The Pickleball Trials take place on Monday, March 30 – this one pits band members Rivers Cuomo, Scott Shriner, Patrick Wilson and Brian Bell against fans in a pickleball tournament.
—Peter Larsen, Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
The basketball bacchanal is the thing – swapping pep bands in end zone pits and dancing mascots and eight teams taking one court chasing after the same singular prize.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
The boundaries of the necropolis are not clearly defined, scientists said, noting modern planting pits, ditches and agricultural work have obliterated several tombs.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
Enter the Packfire, which takes the clean-burning, nearly smokeless system of high-end fire pits and builds it into a collapsible package designed for car camping.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 20 Mar. 2026
Bulldozers dug pits in a Kabul cemetery before Wednesday's mass funeral, which Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said was for more than 50 people whose remains couldn't be identified.
—Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026
Mass funeral in Kabul Bulldozers dug pits in a Kabul cemetery before Wednesday’s mass funeral, which Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said was for more than 50 people whose remains couldn’t be identified.
—Abdul Qahar Afghan, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Standing water, rain, pollen, and leaves can also leave their mark, and debris can build up in pits, cracks, and pores.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pits
Noun
-
Korda took the season opener that was cut to 54 holes because of extreme cold and wind in Florida, while Kim won last week at Sharon Heights.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Make no mistake, as healthy top-to-bottom as Denver is, there are still a few notable holes on this roster.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The Lakers, like the Celtics, are tenants in their arena, which dents their ability to drive revenue from concerts and other events.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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To keep them plentiful, the FWC recommends homeowners preserve trees with cavities or peeling bark, leave dead fronds on palm trees to provide roosting spots, add native plants when landscaping to attract pollinators and install a bat house on your property.—
Lois K. Solomon,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
-
If five states ban fluoride in drinking water, the costs to Medicaid for a significant increase in kids with cavities could top $40 million within three years, a new analysis finds.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
The balks and furrows, left undisturbed, had other uses too.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The boundaries of the necropolis are not clearly defined, scientists said, noting modern planting pits, ditches and agricultural work have obliterated several tombs.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The sweet steam mixed with the sour smell of leaves in ditches and marshy places along the creek.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pits. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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