1
as in serpents
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in dogs
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
why, that dirty, rotten snake!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in traitors
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!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of snakes
Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2025
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there are 44 species of native snakes in Florida, but just six are venomous.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
But despite their comparatively small numbers, elapids like mambas, cobras, and rinkhals are among the world’s deadliest snakes.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2025
The species also has functional and morphological similarities to some modern squamates, the largest order of reptiles that contains lizards and snakes.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2025
Archaeologists uncovered only four animal motifs—rams, felines, birds, and snakes—suggesting the artistic tradition started on a more modest note.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
And yes, people can show up with all sorts of pets some days, including guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, lizards, snakes, a praying mantis, brine shrimp, rats, and ferrets.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Robert Irwin tangles with snakes during the day, nails dolphin dives at night.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2025
Enormous ventilation pipes were coiled like snakes on the roof of the building.
—Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2025
Two incumbents — west Charlotte’s Thelma Byers-Bailey and Summer Nunn, whose district snakes along the county’s southern border — chose not to run for reelection to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education.
—Josh Bergeron, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
In its search for ample sunlight, the species tightly snakes up trees.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 22 Oct. 2025
The campers and counselors died after torrential rain forced water levels on the river, which snakes through multiple summer camps in the region, to rise from 3 feet to 30 feet in a matter of hours.
—Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
The district snakes through southeast Texas from the border near Hidalgo − through Pulido's native Edinburg − and northward up around Corpus Christi, where the Tejano singer Selena has her roots.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
The Wild Flint The Flint snakes down Georgia, a safe distance from I-85 and I-75, before joining the Chattahoochee River in Lake Seminole and cutting across the Florida Panhandle as the Apalachicola River.
—David Hanson, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2025
Originating in the Tibetan Plateau, the Nujiang River snakes its way through southern China andeventually flows into Myanmar.
—Lauren Liebhaber
september 2, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
The route then snakes through the landscape near Ndabaka Gate in the national park; expect gravel roads and gently paved tarmac, as well as zebras, giraffes, and buffalo.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 21 Aug. 2025
Noun
Scarecrows, plastic owls and snakes, flashy pinwheels, and wind chimes are also of questionable efficacy.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2025
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, there are 44 species of native snakes in Florida, but just six are venomous.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
But despite their comparatively small numbers, elapids like mambas, cobras, and rinkhals are among the world’s deadliest snakes.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2025
The species also has functional and morphological similarities to some modern squamates, the largest order of reptiles that contains lizards and snakes.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2025
Archaeologists uncovered only four animal motifs—rams, felines, birds, and snakes—suggesting the artistic tradition started on a more modest note.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
And yes, people can show up with all sorts of pets some days, including guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, lizards, snakes, a praying mantis, brine shrimp, rats, and ferrets.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025
Robert Irwin tangles with snakes during the day, nails dolphin dives at night.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2025
Enormous ventilation pipes were coiled like snakes on the roof of the building.
—Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
Englewood is home to Cedar Point Environmental Park along Lemon Bay, where pine flatwoods cover most of the park, and Oyster Creek Regional Park, where a boardwalk snakes through tidal mangroves, allowing visitors to enjoy bird-watching.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2025
Two incumbents — west Charlotte’s Thelma Byers-Bailey and Summer Nunn, whose district snakes along the county’s southern border — chose not to run for reelection to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education.
—Josh Bergeron, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
In its search for ample sunlight, the species tightly snakes up trees.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 22 Oct. 2025
The campers and counselors died after torrential rain forced water levels on the river, which snakes through multiple summer camps in the region, to rise from 3 feet to 30 feet in a matter of hours.
—Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
The district snakes through southeast Texas from the border near Hidalgo − through Pulido's native Edinburg − and northward up around Corpus Christi, where the Tejano singer Selena has her roots.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
The Wild Flint The Flint snakes down Georgia, a safe distance from I-85 and I-75, before joining the Chattahoochee River in Lake Seminole and cutting across the Florida Panhandle as the Apalachicola River.
—David Hanson, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2025
Originating in the Tibetan Plateau, the Nujiang River snakes its way through southern China andeventually flows into Myanmar.
—Lauren Liebhaber
september 2, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
The route then snakes through the landscape near Ndabaka Gate in the national park; expect gravel roads and gently paved tarmac, as well as zebras, giraffes, and buffalo.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snakes
Noun
-
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
Noun
-
Pipes and sewers can be very dangerous for pets and wildlife and Roto-Rooter, with specialized equipment and personnel, has become a go-to call to save cats, dogs, turtles and more.—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Jan. 2026
-
In the year since its formation, the group has hosted two Christmas carols; held bi-weekly cleanups on Broadway; rallied residents to walk their dogs in the business corridor; weeded and placed new native plants at Promenade Park; encouraged the community to dine out on Broadway and more.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On Thursday night, it will be determined whether the traitors or the faithfuls will win a £100,000 prize for charity.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The competition show takes place in Scotland and has cast members divided into two groups, traitors and faithfuls, and the faithfuls try to vote off the traitors to win a cash prize.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But beneath this viral joke among African Americans lurks a hidden history of slavery, voodoo, and rebellion.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Meanwhile, a manipulative judge, Roland Brack (Nicholas Pinnock), lurks around the fringes, hoping to seduce or even blackmail the electrically attractive Hedda.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
For Dimon, bureaucracy is a reflex that creeps into any large institution and shields leaders from reality.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Meyers will continue being a name to watch as the deadline creeps closer.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
Now, young people are buying venomous pet vipers.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
With a new alias, Andrew Birch, Pine sneaks around Roper’s Majorca compound and relays key documents to Burr, all while keeping an indiscriminate profile.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Now, with nowhere else to turn, Mauser sneaks in uninvited to a swanky party in Rockwell's home and begs for his support in front of his wealthy friends.—
Mike Miller,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
What to do if the -- if the original guy crawls out of his grave and wants his job back.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Oct. 2025
-
When a storm crawls, rainfall piles up over the same towns for days.—
Chris Dolce,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Snakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snakes. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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