as in protrudes
to extend outward beyond a usual point
houses in the town commonly have second stories that beetle over the ground floors, and the overhang is known as a "bump"
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Recent Examples of beetles
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
What are Asian lady beetles Harmonia axyridis, also known as the Asian lady beetle, is a relatively new arrival to this country.
—Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
These small beetles are sometimes confused with ladybeetles (which feed on bean beetle eggs), thanks to their similar shape and black spots.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
What are Asian lady beetles Harmonia axyridis, also known as the Asian lady beetle, is a relatively new arrival to this country.
—Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beetles
Verb
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These are more likely to cause painless rectal bleeding or tissue that protrudes during a bowel movement.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Part of it protrudes from the exterior, with natural airflow helping keep the food inside chilled.—
Adam Williams
March 29,
New Atlas,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kym is the family fuckup and a guilty party to its biggest tragedy but also constantly pokes the bear as its selfish verbal assassin.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
-
Instead, the robot simply pokes through it.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The results might not be there, but the at-bats and the barrels are still there.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
-
After white-nose syndrome arrives in an area, the loss of bats has significant consequences for farmers.—
The Conversation,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
Verb
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According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a brain aneurysm is a weakened area in an artery that bulges outward and fills with blood.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But Virtus still stands out because of its structure.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
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Virginians in search of their nearest watering hole have all of the above to choose from, but one special spot on the Virginia-West Virginia border stands out for having the bluest water in the state.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
Noun
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Botrytis can also cause large, discolored patches on canes.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
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To rejuvenate these shrubs, cut three of the thickest canes all the way back to the ground in spring.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Thieves armed with sledgehammers left a South Loop business damaged, all while targeting slot machines and an ATM.—
Jermont Terry,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Eckert instructed the dads and sons to run a few hundred yards with kettlebells, sledgehammers, and sandbags, then to smash open the sandbags.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Mayhem erupted when the strikers were attacked with tear gas and billy clubs.—
Heller McAlpin,
Christian Science Monitor,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beetles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beetles. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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