Synonym Chooser

How is the word protuberance different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of protuberance are bulge, projection, and protrusion. While all these words mean "an extension beyond the normal line or surface," protuberance implies a growing or swelling out in rounded form.

a skin disease marked by warty protuberances

When is bulge a more appropriate choice than protuberance?

The synonyms bulge and protuberance are sometimes interchangeable, but bulge suggests an expansion caused by internal pressure.

bulges in the tile floor

When could projection be used to replace protuberance?

In some situations, the words projection and protuberance are roughly equivalent. However, projection implies a jutting out especially at a sharp angle.

those projections along the wall are safety hazards

In what contexts can protrusion take the place of protuberance?

The words protrusion and protuberance are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, protrusion suggests a thrusting out so that the extension seems a deformity.

the bizarre protrusions of a coral reef

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of protuberance Whether those protuberances make it onto the production vehicle, the latest of which was just shown at the annual CES tech show in Las Vegas, remains to be seen (and hopefully won’t be seen). William Roberson, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025 There are many different types of foam rollers, but the two main models are: the shorter style with protuberances which is used purely for working on circulation or muscle recovery, and the longer one made of smooth foam without protuberances, used for toning. Enrica Petraglia, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2024 Tiny projections stick out from the stalk, and the crooked tip has structures called a conical protuberance, a globular head and a rugged flap. Katie Cottingham, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Sep. 2024 These extreme eruptions on the sun, if large enough, may be visible as tiny pink protuberances peaking around the edge of the moon. Dean Regas, The Enquirer, 7 Apr. 2024 See All Example Sentences for protuberance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protuberance
Noun
  • The sequencing, the dissolves, the rhythm of projection all recall the emotional power of the slideshow, that fragile form where photography and music meet to create something larger than either.
    Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The forecast also included projections for the busiest cruise ports, with the three that topped the list located in Florida.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The female’s back is covered in small protrusions that resemble popped kernels of popcorn, inspiring its genus name Zea, derived from the corn plant.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
  • This protein is needed for the formation of cilia — hairlike protrusions that cells can use to move — as well as in the assembly of the mitotic spindle that organizes chromosomes during cell division, and for the transport of neurotransmitters in neurons.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In the future, the system could shrink to a small bulge on an optical fiber.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The central bulge of our home galaxy is about 12,000 light-years in diameter.
    Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The plane's inflatable escape slide was deployed, and the nose and tail sections of the plane separated.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The aircraft was left partially submerged with its tail section snapped off, video showed.
    Chris Lau, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • While you may be tempted to go shopping along Marshall Street (the student hangout lined with college shops and eateries) before the game, keep in mind that you’re only allowed to bring small, clear bags into the dome.
    Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
  • The original chrome dome would have gone hard here, or a really glossy black.
    The Athletic NHL Staff, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Even more interesting is the fact that Noctua is issuing three variants of the cooler with variations in the convexity of the cold plate: a normal, a high-convexity, and a low-convexity model.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 10 June 2024
  • Exploiting mispricing in the 21st century will depend more on understanding the convexity of outcomes not yet visible.
    Jeff Henriksen, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2021
Noun
  • However, if the swell lingers, changes are possible, and the advisory will be extended.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
  • These swells will spread westward toward the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico tonight, then toward the rest of the Greater Antilles over the next couple of days.
    MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT, Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Place in pie pan, leaving at least 1-inch overhang.
    Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Many such cities lost jobs with the decline of the manufacturing industry in the 20th century, and many still have an overhang of distressed or vacant homes that help drag down property values overall.
    Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Protuberance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protuberance. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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