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rod

noun

ˈräd How to pronounce rod (audio)
Definition of rodnext
1
as in cane
a heavy rigid stick used as a weapon or for punishment arrested for using a rod on his dogs in violation of the state's animal cruelty laws

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in beam
a straight piece (as of wood or metal) that is longer than it is wide a curtain rod

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 rod Those trunks held an eclectic assortment of products including tennis rackets, fishing rods, golf bags and men’s ties, dress shirts and suits. — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026 Several products — including cement, toilet paper, bedsheets and fishing rods — will be struck from the tariff list. — ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026 Some existing tariffs on toilet paper, cement and fishing rod parts were terminated after more government research on the tariff impact, according to a senior administration official. — Olivia Rinaldi, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026 The category spans low-risk swaps like cabinet hardware, decorative outlet covers, plug-in lighting, tension rods and static-cling window film, plus higher-risk projects like peel-and-stick wallpaper, accent-wall paint and mounted TVs. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rod
  1. cane
  2. beam
  3. baton
  4. bar
  5. board
Noun
  • However, cane begonias, rex begonias, and wax begonias all adapt well to indoor living and can either be grown as permanent houseplants or moved back outdoors after winter.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Copenhaver was struck in the arm and in the abdomen, wounds that left him with lingering injuries and walking with a cane.
    — Gene Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of cane
Noun
  • Shrinking and reshaping the light The researchers used an ultrafast laser and engineered its beam so that its energy was concentrated into an extremely small region.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
  • These timber floor structures negate the need for downstand beams (which project below the underside of the floor slab and support it).
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of beam
Noun
  • Her granddaughter Susan Crater, a Georgetown Law School graduate and former lawyer, picked up the baton, brought the archives to the marketplace and started textiles and wall covering firm Sister Parish Designs in 2000.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • In July, Manila accused Chinese forces of firing water cannons at government vessels near Scarborough Shoal and striking a Philippine Navy staff member in the head with a wooden baton during an encounter at Second Thomas Shoal.
    — Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of baton
Noun
  • The rooftop bar, 1838, actually takes its name from its founding year.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The two of them spent the rest of the night pressed together in the crowded bar, shouting at each other to be heard over the sound of drunk youth.
    — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of bar
Noun
  • Maybe the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, the federal interagency board which reviews overseas buyers’ acquisitions, will go on to okay the arrangement, as required.
    — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Since her departure from the streamer in September 2020, Holland had taken on board and advisory roles before returning to the executive ranks as Global CEO of Elisabeth Murdoch and Jane Featherstone‘s Sister in 2023.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of board

Browse Nearby Words

rococo
rod
rode
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Cite this Entry

“Rod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rod. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rod

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rod

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