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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of serpents
Similarly, the warmer temperatures have compelled outdoor enthusiasts to hit the trails, increasing the odds of a run-in with the serpents.
—
Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 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
Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 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
-
The reptile guys are all just a bunch of normal schmucks looking to go find snakes.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Remove woodpiles, brush piles, dense vegetation, and ground cover, and this takes away hiding spots for snakes and their food sources.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
It’s populated by craven, cowardly traitors.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Having been labeled traitors in Iran and following reports that some of their families had been threatened, the players then sang before their other two matches.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dangerous reptiles like cobras, mambas, vipers, anacondas and rattlesnakes are all banned from private ownership.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The animal enthusiast has since fished vipers from beneath houses, underneath baby cribs, the inside of dry wall, the back of a refrigerator, a fire department, a Safeway and scores of other spots.—
Kurtis Alexander,
San Francisco Chronicle,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Serpents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serpents. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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