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
The Southland has also seen more rattlesnakes, with two recent human fatalities, as the early heat draws more serpents onto hiking trails.
—
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 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
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 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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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 8,000 people annually are bitten by venomous snakes, with fewer than 10 deaths.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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Magee, who has had his business for more than 20 years, said he’s been busy with an influx of calls from homeowners, golf courses and HOAs needing snakes removed.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
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McCarthy’s rampage was about rooting out traitors.—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Serpents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serpents. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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