snake 1 of 2

noun

ˈsnāk How to pronounce snake (audio)
Definition of snakenext
1
as in serpent
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

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2
as in dog
a person whose behavior is offensive to others why, that dirty, rotten snake!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in traitor
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!

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snake

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to lurk
to move about in a sly or secret manner snaking softly through the brush

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2
as in to crawl
to move slowly with the body close to the ground commandos snaking through the grass toward the house

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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 snake
Noun
Without the proper tools on site, animal services had to take it back to the shelter and flood the helmet to flush the snake out. — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026 Several dogs were bitten by rattlesnakes in a Westminster open space over the weekend as hot summer weather drove both residents and snakes outside, city officials said. — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
Here, too, there were echoes of Keegan’s blissful early days, when queues snaked outside the stadium hours before kick-off and every victory felt like alchemy. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 30 July 2026 The new district snakes up through Kansas City’s urban core, in an attempt to create a district more favorable for Republicans in the 5th District. — Jack Harvel july 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for snake
Recent Examples of Synonyms for snake
  1. serpent
  2. dog
  3. traitor
  4. lurk
  5. crawl
  6. viper
  7. jerk
  8. sneak
Noun
  • In Roman art, invidia is sometimes depicted as a gaunt Medusa-like figure with serpents for hair.
    — Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
  • According to the ancient Greeks, a mighty serpent called Ophion incubated an enormous egg that hatched into the universe and all its inhabitants.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of serpent
Noun
  • But much of the program dispensed with speed to explore the other skills of the dogs — and their owners.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Pets are welcome—two dogs per room, no weight limit, $100 each—so even your furry friends can enjoy the mountain air.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of dog
Noun
  • Rinna, a fellow traitor and the person who helped Rausch secure the bag, had similarly been crossed by him, twice.
    — The Deadline Team, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026
  • His tenure was upended by the arrest of Aldrich Ames, a CIA traitor.
    — Bob Drogin, Washington Post, 22 July 2026
Definition of traitor
Verb
  • Sub hunting goes on all the time, usually to keep crews in practice as well as to monitor the locations and capabilities of potentially hostile boats lurking beneath the waves.
    — David Szondy August 12, New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Maybe dark oxygen would allow for other multicellular creatures to lurk even deeper in the rock.
    — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of lurk
Verb
  • And imagine the bear, cornered in an unfamiliar lair, seeing the light of the only exit blocked by this larger attacker that did not howl or bark, but crawled silently toward him through the addled dogs.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Tests on Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, Unitree’s G1 and Boston Dynamics’ Spot showed the robots could perform crawling, cartwheels, handstands, soccer kicks and other complex movements across different robotic body types.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of crawl
Noun
  • Maumelle Animal Shelter The pit viper was so reluctant to exit the helmet that police officers had to pour water into it to force the snake out and into a bag.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Goode needed no persuading about the beauty of animals like New Caledonian geckos, African bush vipers, Caribbean rock iguanas, and similar Cyclura.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of viper
Noun
  • In Show Must Go On, the comedian embraces his own compassion by pretending to be a jerk.
    — Britina Cheng, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That screwed up the works / And not due to his sloppy hiring / Of a crew of incompetent jerks.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Take a look at the ideas that inspired the game and some of the inside jokes that were snuck in.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Her earliest tour, a virtual show streamed over Zoom during the pandemic, became so popular that fans started sharing links so others could sneak in and watch alongside them.
    — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of sneak

Phrases Containing snake

Browse Nearby Words

snails
snake
snakebit
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Cite this Entry

“Snake.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/snake. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on snake

Nglish: Translation of snake for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about snake

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