as in trapdoor
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Recent Examples of portcullis
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
The front door is often guarded with a metal portcullis.
—Ruth Bloomfield, WSJ, 31 Aug. 2017
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
The front door is often guarded with a metal portcullis.
—Ruth Bloomfield, WSJ, 31 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portcullis
Noun
-
Lifting culture, too, has its trapdoors back into disordered thinking.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
3 July 2025
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Scientists dug around the trapdoor to catch the bristly animal — and discovered a new species.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
27 May 2025
Noun
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The Science Behind Stress-Tracking Skin The technology behind these tattoos relies on advanced biosensing materials, most notably graphene, a single-atom-thick carbon lattice known for its conductivity and flexibility.—
Ximena Araya-Fischel,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
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This abstract geometry comes to life in laboratories where physicists like Comin study crystals — lattices of atoms in repeating patterns.—
Shalma Wegsman,
Quanta Magazine,
6 June 2025
Noun
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At the same time, the revolving door between activist nonprofits and government agencies is raising serious ethical and legal questions.—
Dan Eberhart,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2025
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Between the revolving door of coaches and the roster upheaval this season, the Rangers have been anything but stable.—
Arthur Staple,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
Noun
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India won the first matchup by wickets with 68 balls left, then won the second matchup by four wickets with 33 balls left.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
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The leader of the Indian attack had Ben Duckett dropped during that explosive opening spell on the second day of this Test before returning to take the other England opener’s wicket, bowled with the help of an inside edge onto the stumps.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portcullis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portcullis. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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