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 When cells produce proteins, the amino acids spontaneously fold into tangled and twisted structures, with pockets and protuberances, and sometimes long, trailing tails. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2025 In the far distance lies the Pacific Ocean, and beyond that, featureless protuberances labeled Japan, Russia and China. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2025 Above the central display is a ventilative protuberance sporting a pair of menacing ambient lights. Brett Berk, Robb Report, 19 Aug. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for protuberance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protuberance
Noun
  • Those plans were derailed after the war triggered a spike in jet fuel prices, upending Spirit's cost projections and complicating its exit from bankruptcy.
    David Shepardson, USA Today, 1 May 2026
  • But, because of health department reserves, county projections show only a $9 million shortfall by the end of fiscal year 2028-29.
    East Bay Times editorial, Mercury News, 1 May 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
  • Those who have had pain in their pubic region while coughing, lifting objects or bending or who have noticed a bulge in their abdomen are encouraged to this screening and education event.
    Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
  • Some of these are arranged into more staid compositions of geometric bands of color, while others bend and bulge into shapes evoking the baroque ruination of junk-yard findings.
    Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Costa Mesa outdistanced Westlake by 53 points to claim its first section crown and highlight a record-setting second day of the section championships.
    Dan Albano, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
  • In 1980, 35 people were killed when a freighter rammed the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay in Florida, causing a 1,300-foot section of the southbound span to collapse.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Noun
  • Following months of earthquakes and eruptions, a lava dome collapsed on Mount Unzen in Japan.
    USA Today, USA Today, 6 May 2026
  • Johnson’s latest Springfield visit comes as his office’s lobbying efforts under the dome have been criticized by even legislative Democrats as ineffective.
    Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • Today, convexity, which can be more expensive, is used earlier and some experts recommend a convexity-first approach after ostomy surgery.
    Diego Schaps, STAT, 1 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • The curve of the land shields the coastline from a heavier swell from the Atlantic, so the water remains calm and clear for long stretches.
    Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Visitors should be cautious about going into a sea cave without a guide, as a swell can flow into it and dramatically raise the water level in a matter of seconds, pushing kayaks into rocks and leaving little air for those trapped inside.
    Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Iran’s flag before the 1979 revolution — green, white and red with a lion and a rising sun — flutters from many overhangs.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
  • Using parchment paper overhang, lift lemon bar from pan and transfer to a cutting board.
    Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Protuberance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protuberance. Accessed 10 May. 2026.

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