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
-
To O’Connor, humor is a trapdoor, a way to disarm the audience in order to deliver that emotional payload.—
Senior Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Dec. 2025
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Similar to the Broadway musical, the new movie ends with Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and her strawman swain Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) walking into the sunset away from Oz, after the revelation that Elphaba staged her own melting death by hiding under a trapdoor.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
22 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Using neutron diffraction, the team measured changes in atomic lattice spacing caused by internal stress.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
-
For hikers and residents, the steel lattice towers rising from the horizon carrying high-voltage transmission lines up and over the mountains are as recognizable as the bucolic dirt paths, scraggly chapparal, and, at slightly higher elevations, old oaks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The 4-5 spots were a revolving door last year, but between the addition of Johan Oviedo, the return of Patrick Sandoval and Kutter Crawford from injury and up-and-coming youngsters like Connelly Early and Payton Tolle, the staff should be in a great spot.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
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Anybody who feels sceptical about Chelsea’s overall strategy — the voracious appetite for signing emerging talent, creating a revolving door at Stamford Bridge — is unlikely to take it as read that 41-year-old Rosenior is the man for the job.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
An injury to Jordan Cox, who had been due to keep wicket, saw a reshuffle and a decision that shocked everyone.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Before her five-wicket haul, Sharma (58) posted her third half-century of the tournament to help India reached the second highest total in a World Cup final after Australia’s 356-5 against England in 2022.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portcullis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portcullis. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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