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
-
Then around a dozen defendants took their seats after climbing steps that led directly from the basement floor into a courtroom trapdoor.
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The trapdoor to the treehouse does not open from the outside.
Noun
-
The seamless haptic touchpad and flush, edge-to-edge keyboard are out in favor of a more traditional lattice keyboard and a mechanical-click touchpad.
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Or consider a trellis- or lattice-style screen, with or without climbing vines, to give off homey garden vibes.
Noun
-
Nevertheless, the revolving door of infielders has made an already tough season for the Red Sox even more challenging.
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Now, with two more records under his belt with the Grammy winner, Barham says the revolving door of Aquarium producers is out of commission.
Noun
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Sri Lanka went without a wicket for the second session in a row.
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In the end, a ball that nipped back in from Harry Conway, bowling around the wicket, did for Stokes five runs short of his century.
Cite this Entry
“Portcullis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portcullis. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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