1
: any of a family (Testudinidae) of terrestrial turtles
broadly
: turtle
2
: someone or something regarded as slow or laggard
Examples of tortoise in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Scorcio’s mother returned from a trip with the tortoise.
—
Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
LondonAP — Reports on April Fools’ Day of the death of the world’s oldest living land animal — a 193-year-old tortoise called Jonathan — were greatly exaggerated.
—CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
Speaking of cryptocurrency, you may be relieved to know that Jonathan, the world’s oldest tortoise, is alive and well, despite rumors to the contrary.
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
The location lends itself to lush landscapes and sandy beaches with ample opportunity to spot local flora and fauna from frogs and tortoises to hawks and loons.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tortoise
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Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
LondonAP — Reports on April Fools’ Day of the death of the world’s oldest living land animal — a 193-year-old tortoise called Jonathan — were greatly exaggerated.
—CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
Speaking of cryptocurrency, you may be relieved to know that Jonathan, the world’s oldest tortoise, is alive and well, despite rumors to the contrary.
—Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 3 Apr. 2026
The location lends itself to lush landscapes and sandy beaches with ample opportunity to spot local flora and fauna from frogs and tortoises to hawks and loons.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tortoise
Cite this Entry
“Tortoise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tortoise. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tortoise
noun
tor·toise
ˈtȯrt-əs 
: turtle entry 2
especially
: a land-dwelling turtle
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