holes 1 of 2

noun

plural of hole
1
as in apertures
a place in a surface allowing passage into or through a thing line up the pegs on section A with the holes in section B and press the two together

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pits
a sunken area forming a separate space dig a hole big enough to plant the tree

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in predicaments
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape Bill dug himself into a hole by promising to be in two places at the same time

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4
as in dumps
a dirty or messy place when people see my room, they often ask, "How can you live in this hole?"

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5
as in gaps
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge) found a hole in the chain-link fence big enough to squeeze through

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6
as in nests
the shelter or resting place of a wild animal watched the snake slither into its hole

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holes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hole
as in drills
to make a hole or series of holes in holed the target with a round of shots

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 holes
Noun
McIlroy surged into the top-10 on Saturday with a 7-under 63, powered by nine birdies, including three in his final four holes. — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026 The golf course would be transformed from its original layout of three courses with 36 holes to a single 18-hole championship course, per the outlet. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026 Lagos combines expansive parkland golf with a closing stretch that takes on a more links-like feel, creating a diverse nine holes where the scenery is every bit as memorable as the golf. — Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The town will unveil the renovations next month and the improvements include a new paint job on the interior of the historic building, a repaired 19th-century chalkboard pulley system and repair of the several small holes in the roof. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026 Scheffler had two early bogeys to fall five shots behind and then answered with five birdies in a stretch of six holes around the turn to get back in the game. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 Because trunk cargo nets have large holes, pointed items such as fishing poles, bats, or rackets can get tangled. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026 Every kind of cheese is American cheese, even the kind with holes. — Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026 Place the magnetic keys inside the frame’s hangers, then press it into the wall to create two perfect holes to add your hardware in exactly the right spot. — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Verb
Upgrade a Laundry Room Vent holes in a laundry room might call to mind a traditional airing cupboard, but perhaps counterintuitively, that term actually refers to a heated cupboard for keeping towels dry rather than one in which air freely circulates. — Monika Biegler Eyers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2026 Caulk holes around plumbing and sewer lines where roaches are likely to enter. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 4 June 2026 The flight attendants then attempted to solve the problem by shoving napkins inside the ceiling holes. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026 Mirroring the 3-star wig cap structure, this wig featured three combs (left-side, right-side, nape), a drawstring, wig band insertion holes, and a 13×4 lace. — Noel Cymone Walker, StyleCaster, 1 Apr. 2026 The penetration holes indicate that the internal facility is likely bombed out, destroying anything that was inside. — CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026 How to Limit Attraction Sealing unwanted tiny cracks, gaps in doors or windows, or utility lines, and holes around the home is one of the best ways to prevent ants from gaining access in the first place. — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 11 Mar. 2026 But some backpacks are better for travel than others, perhaps designed with isolated shoe compartments, holes to feed your phone charging cable through, jewelry pouches, and special materials that simply wipe clean after picking up germs from public floors. — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026 The San Francisco 49ers head into free agency with roughly $38 million in salary-cap space — 11th most in the NFL — and holes all over their roster. — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holes
  1. apertures
  2. pits
  3. predicaments
  4. gaps
  5. nests
  6. drills
  7. openings
  8. dents
Noun
  • Larger apertures gather more light, while monochrome cameras with filters help tease out subtle banding.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • If applicable, photos can be taken with low apertures, wide-angle lenses and tripods.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of apertures
Noun
  • At the southern end of the Everglades, where marshes and coastal wetlands are most starved for freshwater, peat has started to collapse, ripping open the shallow sawgrass marshes to leave behind deeper pits of open water.
    — Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Then again, there’s a chance that dynamic pits Austin and Berrios against each other for one spot, and then Beckham’s true competition is narrowed to Slayton and Mooney.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of pits
Noun
  • Aemond, too, for that matter, while Daemon’s arrogance continues to get Team Black into all sorts of predicaments.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than bridging shortfalls, both Seattle and Washington now face more difficult fiscal predicaments, Joblon said.
    — Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
Definition of predicaments
Noun
  • Its 100mm pixel macro lens captures 28 images per second in order to guide the jet to the gaps in your teeth.
    — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Any business can run into cash-flow gaps — slow seasons, delayed invoice payments or unexpected costs can throw off even the most perfectly balanced budget.
    — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of gaps
Noun
  • Bald eagles are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, so killing, selling or otherwise harming eagles, their nests or eggs is strictly prohibited.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The organization highlighted careful monitoring, carried out with the farmers whose land the birds nested on, which allowed the nests to be fenced off from ground predators like foxes.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of nests
Verb
  • Berrios is sidelined right now by a soft tissue injury but was running pretty well on the side of team drills Monday.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Other notes from Panthers-Jaguars practice First-round pick rookie offensive tackle Monroe Freeling held his own in one-on-one drills as well as team drills in practice on Wednesday.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of drills
Noun
  • The wireless connection can also allow equipment manufacturers to avoid adding openings specifically for battery replacement or charging.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Collectors have become accustomed to shuttling between events and openings spread across the capital.
    — Payal Uttam, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of openings
Noun
  • Tracks Check that the tracks on both sides of the door are properly aligned and free of dents or debris.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Regularly inspect your spatulas for any sign of wear, including loose components, cracks, scratches or dents.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of dents

Browse Nearby Words

holed up
holes
holes up
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Cite this Entry

“Holes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holes. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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