as in to poke
to extend outward beyond a usual point
we spotted the kitten's tail protruding from beneath the dresser
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Recent Examples of protrude
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management inspected it and found a pipe protruding from a berm, leaking water where it’s not supposed to go.
—
Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 25 Jan. 2026
However, blood was pouring out of Good’s left ear immediately after the shooting, and tissue protruded from the left side of her head, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported last week.
—Theresa Braine, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
They’re typically installed above kitchen sinks and provide more light than standard windows, but their protruding design adds weight and insulation considerations.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
Since the 1600s, biologists have pointed to the pecten oculi — a strange, comb-like structure protruding into the bird’s eye — as the secret oxygen tank.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for protrude
Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 25 Jan. 2026
However, blood was pouring out of Good’s left ear immediately after the shooting, and tissue protruded from the left side of her head, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported last week.
—Theresa Braine, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
They’re typically installed above kitchen sinks and provide more light than standard windows, but their protruding design adds weight and insulation considerations.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026
Since the 1600s, biologists have pointed to the pecten oculi — a strange, comb-like structure protruding into the bird’s eye — as the secret oxygen tank.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for protrude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protrude
Verb
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Kimmel wasn’t the only late-night host to poke fun at TPUSA’s counter-program, born out of MAGA’s outcry over Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl halftime show.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2026
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The Americans, meanwhile, stayed on their best, most humble behavior afterward, trying not to poke the wounded bear.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The kids froze mid-mouthful, eyes bulging in horror at the thought of having to witness such a thing in the company of their parents.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
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The surrounding metropolitan area has similarly bulged.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The arrival of the ATM famously led to the employment of more bank tellers, just as the introduction of Excel swelled the ranks of accountants and Photoshop spiked demand for graphic designers.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
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When bleeding or swelling inside one of these compartments builds up, pressure rises and begins to squeeze the muscles, nerves and blood vessels.—
Michal Ruprecht,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Cape Cod juts out to the east just far enough to catch the western fringe of the massive snow shield.—
Terry Eliasen,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
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Enoch confronts the celestial hosts, all wearing capes of swastika red under an oppressive horizon of jutting lightning and glaring orange mountains.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Protrude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protrude. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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