Definition of protuberancenext

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 Violet-blue protuberances are surrounded by what look like thorns but are actually soft, if jagged, flower parts. Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 14 Mar. 2025 By flying drones over a remote stretch of the Canadian Arctic, scientists were able to capture unique footage of narwhals, shedding light on the function of their famed protuberances, according to a study published Feb. 27 in Frontiers in Marine Science. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for protuberance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protuberance
Noun
  • The cleanest projection is as a starting right guard with emergency tackle value, though a team that believes in the tackle tape could still give him a shot outside.
    Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
  • But there are scientific projections that climate change could increase the risk of larger avalanches.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • An unnoticed protrusion on the floor she’s dragged across renders her injury considerably worse, turning temporary acute discomfort into a real medical emergency.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Another cutesy promo video shows the robot phone coming to life, flipping out of a protrusion next to the usual camera bump in the back of the device, and even meeting a humanoid robot face-to-face.
    Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Along each stem is a bump or bulge where leaves previously attached to the stem.
    Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Some online commenters in areas where it has been deployed also say the system struggles to properly level surfaces after holes are filled, which can lead to speed bump–like bulges.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • That section of town received evacuation alerts hours after flames threatened the area, and much later than wealthier, whiter areas of the unincorporated town.
    Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Markings on the tail section identified the aircraft as belonging to the 940th Air Refueling Wing at Beale, home to the Air Force Reserve Command unit.
    Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The temperatures expected from the heat dome will be high enough to spur melting, said Brian Domonkos, a hydrologist with the Colorado office of the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service.
    Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2026
  • The experience of entering the telescope via its cat walk and being underneath the majestic dome was something out of a movie set.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The tower flaunts its partnership with the Dime Savings Bank, sending the 1908 landmark’s geometrical exuberance rocketing upward in a play of convexities and concavities, glass and trim, darkness and gleam.
    Justin Davidson, Curbed, 28 Jan. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • With a swell of applause and a burst of smoke and explosions, Fuerza closed out the night — an apt ending for a band that isn’t afraid to break the rules a little bit.
    Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2026
  • What was initially an unusual swell of Canadian patriotism a year ago has evolved into a new social and economic order for the country of 41 million.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Line an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving overhang.
    Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
  • The music industry’s AI overhang Universal Music Group shelved its plans to list shares in the US, citing market uncertainty.
    Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg, 9 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Protuberance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protuberance. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.

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