snake 1 of 2

noun

ˈsnāk How to pronounce snake (audio)
Definition of snakenext
1
as in serpent
a limbless reptile with a long body snakes are cold-blooded, so they regulate their body temperature by alternately basking in sunlight and seeking shade

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2
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others why, that dirty, rotten snake!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in traitor
one who betrays a trust or an allegiance what a snake she was—having an affair with my husband while I was in the hospital!

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snake

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to lurk
to move about in a sly or secret manner snaking softly through the brush

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2
as in to crawl
to move slowly with the body close to the ground commandos snaking through the grass toward the house

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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 snake
Noun
Hong, favoring a backward-facing view of the mayhem, shoots in lengthy takes that swerve and snake with rough-and-tumble precision; the energies of car and camera seem to fuse into one. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 Black rat snakes are eaten by raccoons, weasels, coyotes, owls, hawks, and other snakes. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
The historic flood that snaked its way through Central Indiana over the weekend shook the region, damaging homes, businesses and roads as portions of White River crested up to 24 feet. — Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 16 Aug. 2026 At the Meijer gas station in Highland, several lines snaked through the parking lot and onto the main road on Wednesday. — Sara MacHi, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for snake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snake
  1. serpent
  2. jerk
  3. traitor
  4. lurk
  5. crawl
  6. viper
  7. dog
  8. sneak
Noun
  • The odds of run-ins between rattlesnakes and humans — as well as other animals — increased this year due to warmer temperatures, which encouraged outdoor activity for both serpents and humans.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Special touches added by Gail have been retained, including an eccentric serpent mosaic based on a design by Frank Zappa himself.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of serpent
Noun
  • The novel also takes an unsentimental look at Jamaica, a country that, let the Sandals ads tell it, is mostly pristine beaches, jerk chicken, and Bob Marley’s One Love on a perpetual loop.
    — Tembe Denton-Hurst, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The Ars OpenForum is a place for readers to ask questions, compare notes, argue (without being jerks to each other), and go down all sorts of rabbit holes.
    — Eric Bangeman, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerk
Noun
  • The team was criticized in Iran and branded as traitors in the media there for remaining silent when the Iranian national anthem was played ahead of their opening loss against South Korea on March 2.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
  • However, their time together ended when Tamburello, a faithful, turned on Parks, a traitor, and voted to banish her in episode 10.
    — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of traitor
Verb
  • But Ferrari cemented itself as F1’s second-quickest team early on, lurking for an opportunity to dethrone Mercedes that eventually emerged in Spain.
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Rhetoric that had lurked in conspiracy-minded corners of the internet was now coming from the federal government itself.
    — Eric Boodman, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of lurk
Verb
  • Installation doesn’t require crews to manually crawl along hundreds of miles of line.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The Leao Tires subbrand has a huge range of truck, bus, and tractor tires for everything from daily driving on pavement to slow crawling through muddy farm fields.
    — Michael Febbo, The Drive, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of crawl
Noun
  • There was unexpected wildlife – a screeching macaque and a viper slithering across a path.
    — Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Maumelle Animal Shelter The pit viper was so reluctant to exit the helmet that police officers had to pour water into it to force the snake out and into a bag.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of viper
Noun
  • My therapy dog and I accompanied grieving families to ground zero in the days following the attacks.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Above and below the main narrative of the Bayeux Tapestry are two strips filled with ancient beasts, including tail-chasing dogs and tightly knotted swans.
    — John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of dog
Verb
  • Every round, the players put on googly-eyed glasses that obscure their vision while Sam sneaks over to tap a Spy, who removes their glasses so Sam can point out which object fits the prompt.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
  • To be clear, many of these live recordings are sourced from fans who snuck cassette recorders into concert halls.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of sneak

Phrases Containing snake

Browse Nearby Words

snails
snake
snakebit
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Cite this Entry

“Snake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snake. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on snake

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about snake

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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