as in trapdoor
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Recent Examples of portcullis
The entrance to the car park even passes under a portcullis and guests’ bags go through an X-ray machine hidden in the rock-face.
—
Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The prior owner went all out on building a Medieval-style castle, with a moat, a drawbridge and a portcullis.
—Katherine Clarke, WSJ, 3 Mar. 2022
Medieval amenities include a moat, two watchtowers and two gates, a drawbridge, an underground cave (complete with a Jacuzzi!), trap doors, and a genuine portcullis (a metal-and-wood gate typically seen in medieval fortresses).
—Mary Elizabeth Andriotis, House Beautiful, 20 Jan. 2022
Then Iraq’s new rulers lowered a paper portcullis, demanding fees and the completion of myriad forms.
—The Economist, 10 Apr. 2021
Pass beneath an imposing portcullis into Edinburgh Castle, home to the National War Museum and the 12th-century St. Margaret’s Chapel—believed to be the oldest building in Edinburgh.
—National Geographic, 12 June 2019
Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The prior owner went all out on building a Medieval-style castle, with a moat, a drawbridge and a portcullis.
—Katherine Clarke, WSJ, 3 Mar. 2022
Medieval amenities include a moat, two watchtowers and two gates, a drawbridge, an underground cave (complete with a Jacuzzi!), trap doors, and a genuine portcullis (a metal-and-wood gate typically seen in medieval fortresses).
—Mary Elizabeth Andriotis, House Beautiful, 20 Jan. 2022
Then Iraq’s new rulers lowered a paper portcullis, demanding fees and the completion of myriad forms.
—The Economist, 10 Apr. 2021
Pass beneath an imposing portcullis into Edinburgh Castle, home to the National War Museum and the 12th-century St. Margaret’s Chapel—believed to be the oldest building in Edinburgh.
—National Geographic, 12 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portcullis
Noun
-
Anxious times for Forest, only five points above the relegation trapdoor.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Authorities found a kilo of fentanyl in a closet and 12 more kilos of narcotics under a trapdoor in the children's playroom.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Now the model has been rebuilt in New York — Zero Bond, Casa Cipriani, The Ned, Aman — a lattice of doors that close behind you.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
9 May 2026
-
Photonic crystals possess a lattice of features smaller than the wavelengths of light they are designed to interact with.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Voters have rightly demanded a more serious response to addiction, mental illness, retail theft and the revolving door between the streets, emergency rooms and jails.—
Matt Mahan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
The penalty boxes at the Tsongas Center were a revolving door, as six infractions were called amid a physical start from both teams.—
Jason Cooke,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Gaikwad then added 49 off 22 balls with Urvil Patel (24) for the second wicket.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 May 2026
-
Coles also made a notable contribution with the ball, taking three second-innings wickets while bowling 30 overs.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portcullis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portcullis. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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