sandcastle
noun
sand·cas·tle
ˈsan(d)-ˌka-səl 
variants
or sand castle
: a small model of a castle or other structure that is made with sand on a beach
Ruth lay beside Piet unhappily, not quite ready to bask and beautify herself like a teenager, yet too old for sandcastles.—
John Updike
John Updike"What you want is a change of air. We will pop down together hand in hand this week-end to some seaside resort. You shall build sand castles, while I lie on the beach and read the paper."—P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Examples of sandcastle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The imagery includes a half man-half caribou figure, a whale’s tail, flying turtles, coco trees, a sandcastle, and other objects related to the island.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2023
The beach was covered with hundreds of sandcastles, but only 11 had clues just below the sandcastle.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 4 Sep. 2021
But that whole life was gone in the fire, toppled like a sandcastle.
—Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2023
So much so fast that civil rights organizations won’t have the resources to fight more than a fraction of it, and the result will be like sandcastle walls trying to hold back a tsunami.
—Brynn Tannehill, The New Republic, 24 July 2023
Kids have their own crafts, sandcastle building, and wildlife activities at Seedlings, its kids’ club.
—Melinda Fulmer, Robb Report, 30 June 2023
And then the amount of time till the next wave even further demolishes my sandcastle, that’s the period.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 14 June 2023
Beach activities range from sandcastle building to surfing lessons.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 20 June 2023
The pop-up boutique housing the toile de Jouy pink and gray collection, inspired by Mediterranean beach culture and modeled after a giant sandcastle, is only one part of the Dioriviera experience.
—The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2023
See More
Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2023
The beach was covered with hundreds of sandcastles, but only 11 had clues just below the sandcastle.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 4 Sep. 2021
But that whole life was gone in the fire, toppled like a sandcastle.
—Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2023
So much so fast that civil rights organizations won’t have the resources to fight more than a fraction of it, and the result will be like sandcastle walls trying to hold back a tsunami.
—Brynn Tannehill, The New Republic, 24 July 2023
Kids have their own crafts, sandcastle building, and wildlife activities at Seedlings, its kids’ club.
—Melinda Fulmer, Robb Report, 30 June 2023
And then the amount of time till the next wave even further demolishes my sandcastle, that’s the period.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 14 June 2023
Beach activities range from sandcastle building to surfing lessons.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 20 June 2023
The pop-up boutique housing the toile de Jouy pink and gray collection, inspired by Mediterranean beach culture and modeled after a giant sandcastle, is only one part of the Dioriviera experience.
—The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sandcastle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1854, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near sandcastle
Cite this Entry
“Sandcastle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sandcastle. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share