as in bushes
a thick patch of shrubbery, small trees, or underbrush
flushed a pheasant from a thicket of willows
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Recent Examples of thickets
Depending on the species, privet hedges can be aggressive invaders that form dense thickets that shade nearby native plants.
—
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 5 Apr. 2026
The seedlings and saplings are mostly knee-high to chest-high and mixed with thickets of ceanothus and other post-fire brush growing amid the true giants that stand dead among them.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Masri’s drumming is lithe and spacious even at its most aggressive; just as Alcorn’s guitar slides move with a gravity-defying, naturalistic force, his attacks seem to sprout out of each other independently, emerging in thickets.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 4 Mar. 2026
No colonial power had ever controlled the swamps and savannas of the interior—an alien land of lagoons, glade marshes, prairies, and hardwood thickets.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
The tracks of Eastern cottontail are also a common sight — especially near thickets of chokecherry, elderberry and other bushes that provide safe shelter.
—Susan Koch, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
This aggressive grower creates thorny thickets that are difficult to remove during the growing season, when its dense leaves make its thorny stems hard to see.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Dec. 2025
The red spruce trees that sprang up after logging operations had ended formed nearly impenetrable thickets.
—John McCoy, Outdoor Life, 12 Nov. 2025
The entire property bursts with thickets of shaggy palm trees, enormous birds of paradise, and other tropical plants.
—Sarah Buder, AFAR Media, 8 Oct. 2025
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 5 Apr. 2026
The seedlings and saplings are mostly knee-high to chest-high and mixed with thickets of ceanothus and other post-fire brush growing amid the true giants that stand dead among them.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Masri’s drumming is lithe and spacious even at its most aggressive; just as Alcorn’s guitar slides move with a gravity-defying, naturalistic force, his attacks seem to sprout out of each other independently, emerging in thickets.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 4 Mar. 2026
No colonial power had ever controlled the swamps and savannas of the interior—an alien land of lagoons, glade marshes, prairies, and hardwood thickets.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
The tracks of Eastern cottontail are also a common sight — especially near thickets of chokecherry, elderberry and other bushes that provide safe shelter.
—Susan Koch, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
This aggressive grower creates thorny thickets that are difficult to remove during the growing season, when its dense leaves make its thorny stems hard to see.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Dec. 2025
The red spruce trees that sprang up after logging operations had ended formed nearly impenetrable thickets.
—John McCoy, Outdoor Life, 12 Nov. 2025
The entire property bursts with thickets of shaggy palm trees, enormous birds of paradise, and other tropical plants.
—Sarah Buder, AFAR Media, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thickets
Noun
-
Walk in forests where dragonflies buzz and orchids bloom in secret copses.—
Lydia Bell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The Aquitaine countryside unfolds in a collage of khaki, tan, and green, dotted with little ponds and copses of trees.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Visit the Citrus Tower Located in the town of Clermont, which was once thriving with citrus groves, sits the Citrus Tower, a 20-story monument to the town’s former industry.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Tune into yourself while tuning out the outside world courtesy of an E-bike ride under the Tuscan sun, a stroll through the olive groves, a dip in the infinity pool, a meditative massage, or a private cooking class using ingredients sourced from the property.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Amazon, which is crucial to regulating the global climate because forests store carbon dioxide, is constantly under pressure from deforestation driven by agriculture, cattle ranching and mining.—
Gabriela Sá Pessoa,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Sichuan takins' native range is within the mountainous bamboo forests of central China, the Lincoln Park Zoo said.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The new subdivision would be on the east side of Jefferson Lane on part of a 13-acre tract that’s a mix of open fields and woods.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Taylor was discharged after four days, weak and exhausted but out of the woods.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thickets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thickets. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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