SNAILS Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

snails 1 of 2

noun

plural of snail

as in slugs

someone who moves slowly or more slowly than others go and tell the snails in the back to hurry up

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snails

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of snail

as in crawls

to move slowly the highway construction work created a bottleneck that had cars snailing for the next five miles

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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 snails

Noun

Chicks, in particular, eat large quantities of high-protein insect larvae, beetles, flies, snails, spiders and ants. — Tom Huggler, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026 The slime is highly valued as an anti-inflammatory and anti-aging ingredient in certain skin care products, and snails can secrete different kinds of mucus with properties tailored to specific functions. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026 There's a protective mucus that the snails use to seal themselves inside their shells in the winter. — Ari Daniel, NPR, 6 Aug. 2026 The lubricating substance allows snails to stick to the ground more easily and travel more smoothly. — Laura Dorwart, Health, 22 July 2026 But SpongeBob is just as unambiguously heroic as Damon’s Odysseus is (even if our favorite burger-flipping tamer of snails requires a gift from a certain daughter of a goddess to find his courage). — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 21 July 2026 For maximum perks, try applying wool directly around plants that are prone to slugs and snails, such as hostas, dahlias, or cabbage. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 20 July 2026 Firefly larvae, on the other hand, are usually carnivorous and may feed on soft-bodied insects, slugs, snails, and worms. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 July 2026 Those attract tiny insects, which attract larger insects, which draw slugs, snails, and other wildlife. — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 14 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for snails

Noun

Mulch also helps suppress weeds and dissuades strawberry pests like slugs.

— Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 14 Aug. 2026
If your garden has been beset by destructive crawling insects like ants, beetles, and slugs, pesticides often seem like the clear solution.

— Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of slugs

Verb

Researchers have developed a new control framework that enables humanoid robots to perform agile movements, including army crawls, breakdancing and backflips.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Markets do not hold still for a year and a half while your deal crawls through due diligence.

— Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of crawls

Noun

Earnings season is winding down, but a few stragglers in the portfolio are still left to report this week.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2026
On the streets below, vendors are hawking bootleg merchandise as stragglers from the festivities color the sidewalks with blue-and-orange jerseys and hats.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of stragglers

Verb

The latest consumer price report has arrived, offering a closer look at the country’s economic pulse and how everyday Americans are faring as the war with Iran drags on.

— Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
As litigation drags on, the plaintiff will necessarily require a higher settlement amount to compensate for the fees incurred so far and this will make the case more difficult to settle.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of drags

Noun

Everyone took the Meta keyword tag seriously and the practice of utilizing ‘white text on a white background’ to hide hidden keywords was a legitimate tactic that webmasters would use to include keywords in their website for search engine crawlers.

— Alan Bradley, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
The website security provider helps companies protect against AI crawlers.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of crawlers

Verb

The polarizing quarterback will start Cleveland's exhibition opener at Chicago on Saturday — his first game action since 2024 — and Shedeur Sanders will play in the second half as the Browns' QB competition creeps toward a conclusion.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Moura can only laugh at the absurd timing, though a hint of understandable frustration still creeps into his recollection.

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of creeps

Verb

Even in the bathrooms, the toilet and bidet are concealed inside a kind of Travertine bench and the showerhead pokes out from a monolithic stone slab.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
This is strong language, which pokes at our tribal memory of gasoline shortages from the 1970’s.

— George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of pokes

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snail-paced

snails

snake

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“Snails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snails. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of snails

noun

verb

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