alcoves

noun

plural of alcove
1
as in pavilions
a freestanding airy structure in a scenic setting (as a park) typically offering commanding views a small alcove in one corner of the backyard garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in nooks
a hollowed-out space in a wall an ancient vase in an alcove and a sculpture of Achilles on a stand in the museum's Greek Hall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 alcoves They were inspired by the Curtain of Courage Memorial outside the San Bernardino County Government Center — 14 bronze alcoves, each curved like a protective wall and dedicated to one of the victims. — Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 Set in alcoves, these structures included single-room storage units for food, all the way up to 150-room villages, such as Cliff Palace, which once housed about 100 people. — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026 By that time Dame Frances had established the idea of theaters of memory—imaginary architectural structures, replete with columns and alcoves and windows, where items can be placed for later recollection. — Literary Hub, 13 May 2026 The food court was completely shuttered, and the Coca-Cola vending machines had been yanked from their alcoves. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026 Meanwhile, the two-story cottages include nap nooks, snug reading and rest alcoves. — Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2026 The six individual bunkbed alcoves, built inside the airline's new fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, will have a lie-flat bed with a mattress, pillow, sheets, blanket and a seatbelt. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026 The boards illustrate the two-story building with details such as white walls and a clay roof, alcoves and residential balconies facing the street. — Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2026 The alcoves on the rotunda's first level long held Iowa units' battle flags, including the 2nd Infantry's scarred banner. — Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alcoves
  1. pavilions
  2. nooks
  3. corners
  4. niches
Noun
  • That April, Patir shuttered the pavilion on the first day of professional previews of the 2024 Biennale, leaving on view just one work, visible from outside, but protesters gathered outside the Israeli and nearby US pavilions just the same.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Seven separate pavilions make up the tranquil villa, connected by a wooden walkway centered around a 25-foot swimming pool.
    — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of pavilions
Noun
  • This annual festival is a love letter to the nooks and crannies of Iceland’s design scene.
    — Erika Owen, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Snakes are ectothermic and rely on outside heat to regulate their body temperature, so a dark, warm engine bay makes an appealing shelter — and offers plenty of nooks to hide from predators.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of nooks
Noun
  • That intersection is at the four corners border of Romulus, Westland, Dearborn Heights and Taylor.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The object also reveals how cosmopolitan the Qianlong court was, which, like the Mughal court in India, welcomed artisans from all corners of China and the rest of the world, according to Wang.
    — Stephy Chung, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of corners
Noun
  • Family members sometimes leave jewelry and other sentimental items inside the niches with those remains.
    — WPEC Staff, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Use a longer stream to guide visitors to secret niches and resting spots.
    — Savanna Bous, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of niches

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alcove
alcoves
ale
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Cite this Entry

“Alcoves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alcoves. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on alcoves

Nglish: Translation of alcoves for Spanish Speakers

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