1
as in snakes
a limbless reptile with a long body
an Aztec carving of a feathered serpent representing the god Quetzalcoatl
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2
as in traitors
one who betrays a trust or an allegiance
a serpent in their midst had betrayed the revolutionaries to the authorities
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Recent Examples of serpents
Their breakthrough arrives with a performance of Temple Maiden, a dance tracing the love and envy of two maidens who turn into serpents.
—
Daron James, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Laocoön and His Sons, an exquisite marble sculpture of the legendary Trojan priest writhing in agony as he’s attacked by sea-serpents, was first unearthed in the early sixteenth-century, the only missing piece his right arm.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Were a lot of serpents biting people in those days.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Frenzied shapes—sparks, ribbons, spirals, glyphs, shadowy crosses, serpents—float among them through an undefined ether, as if transmitting cryptic information.
—Alice Gregory, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
The range of the monster drawings included primitive people, giant spiders, serpents, snails and fantastical fish.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
Daron James, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Laocoön and His Sons, an exquisite marble sculpture of the legendary Trojan priest writhing in agony as he’s attacked by sea-serpents, was first unearthed in the early sixteenth-century, the only missing piece his right arm.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Were a lot of serpents biting people in those days.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
Frenzied shapes—sparks, ribbons, spirals, glyphs, shadowy crosses, serpents—float among them through an undefined ether, as if transmitting cryptic information.
—Alice Gregory, New Yorker, 16 Nov. 2025
The range of the monster drawings included primitive people, giant spiders, serpents, snails and fantastical fish.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serpents
Noun
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Each team has to drag three giant snakes through a bunch of obstacles and then get a ball through a snake maze to win immunity.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
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There are crocodiles, birds by the thousands, snakes, turtles, and many kinds of mammals.—
Delbert L. Chears,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Faithfuls also have chances to banish traitors by voting them out of the castle during a nightly event called the roundtable.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
3 Mar. 2026
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Rinna was selected as one of the traitors on the show, but she was voted off.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Other shipments sent by Lin included alligator lizards, venomous green tree vipers and palm pit vipers, all protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
30 Dec. 2025
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Now, young people are buying venomous pet vipers.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
16 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Serpents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serpents. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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