as in garter snake
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Recent Examples of water moccasin
These are one of four venomous snakes found in Texas alongside rattlesnakes, cottonmouths (also known as water moccasins) and coral snakes.
—
Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
Also known as a water moccasin, this darkly colored—usually near-black or olive brown—snake isn’t aggressive, but its bite is fatal without rapid administration of an antivenom.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 19 Sep. 2025
Tennessee's most venomous snake is the cottonmouth, or water moccasin.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025
In the Southeast, there are several venomous snakes that could potentially cause an injury to a human or pet: three species of rattlesnakes (eastern diamondback, timber, and pygmy), copperhead, cotton mouth (also known as water moccasins), and coral snake, says Maerz.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2025
Copperhead snake size How to identify a cottonmouth snake
Cottonmouths (also known as water moccasins) are venomous reptiles that are almost always found near water, basking in the sun on rocks, branches or along the water’s edge.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 11 July 2025
Rescuers maneuvering through challenging terrain, high waters and snakes including water moccasins continued their desperate search for the missing, including 10 girls and a counselor from the camp.
—Brit Morse, Fortune, 7 July 2025
Cottonmouths, also known as water moccasins, have brown, dark red or tan bands, and can be aggressive while being defensive.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
Also known as a water moccasin, this darkly colored—usually near-black or olive brown—snake isn’t aggressive, but its bite is fatal without rapid administration of an antivenom.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 19 Sep. 2025
Tennessee's most venomous snake is the cottonmouth, or water moccasin.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025
In the Southeast, there are several venomous snakes that could potentially cause an injury to a human or pet: three species of rattlesnakes (eastern diamondback, timber, and pygmy), copperhead, cotton mouth (also known as water moccasins), and coral snake, says Maerz.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2025
Copperhead snake size How to identify a cottonmouth snake
Cottonmouths (also known as water moccasins) are venomous reptiles that are almost always found near water, basking in the sun on rocks, branches or along the water’s edge.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 11 July 2025
Rescuers maneuvering through challenging terrain, high waters and snakes including water moccasins continued their desperate search for the missing, including 10 girls and a counselor from the camp.
—Brit Morse, Fortune, 7 July 2025
Cottonmouths, also known as water moccasins, have brown, dark red or tan bands, and can be aggressive while being defensive.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for water moccasin
Noun
-
Connecticut is home to 14 native snake species including the common garter snake, DeKay’s brownsnake, northern watersnake, and eastern milk snake.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The movements no longer those of a minnow but rather of a garter snake in grass, with that edge of hiddenness and surprise.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Non-venomous serpents include rat, garter, bull and water snakes.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 July 2025
-
In 2016, 20 southern banded water snakes were pulled from the area.—
Olivia Rose,
AZCentral.com,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
That makes people less likely to get a venomous bite from a coral snake.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Common venomous snakes in the state include rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, and coral snakes, with rattlesnakes being the most common.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Connecticut is home to 14 native snake species including the common garter snake, DeKay’s brownsnake, northern watersnake, and eastern milk snake.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Often mistaken for king snakes or milk snakes, coral snakes display distinctive red, yellow, and black rings encircling their bodies.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
Other snakes seen during the biannual Snake Road movement include nonvenomous plain-bellied water snakes, rough green snakes, and Western ribbon snakes, as well as venomous species like the northern copperhead and timber rattlesnake.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Rat snakes eat small rodents, green snakes will snack on insects and garden snakes feed on worms.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
Earlier this month, the zoo released 75 Louisiana pine snakes into the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana, according to a social media post from the establishment.—
Nicholas Rice,
Peoplemag,
19 May 2024
-
The Florida pine snake, also found in southeast Alabama, is often mistaken for the eastern diamondback rattlesnake.—
Dennis Pillion | dpillion@al.com,
al,
15 Aug. 2022
Noun
-
Though gopher snakes can grow up to 9 feet in some rare cases.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
2 Mar. 2026
-
According to the California Herps database, the San Diego Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer annectens) is a subspecies of the Pacific gopher snake and can grow over seven feet in length.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Among the common non-venomous snakes found around here are garter, rat and bull snakes.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 July 2025
-
According to wildlife specialist Kayla Jobe, who spoke with KOKI, bull snakes are not venomous and can be helpful to have near (but not in) your home since the reptile eats small rodents.—
Tabitha Parent,
People.com,
17 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Water moccasin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/water%20moccasin. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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