Synonym Chooser

How is the word protrusion different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of protrusion are bulge, projection, and protuberance. While all these words mean "an extension beyond the normal line or surface," protrusion suggests a thrusting out so that the extension seems a deformity.

the bizarre protrusions of a coral reef

When is it sensible to use bulge instead of protrusion?

The meanings of bulge and protrusion largely overlap; however, bulge suggests an expansion caused by internal pressure.

bulges in the tile floor

When is projection a more appropriate choice than protrusion?

The synonyms projection and protrusion are sometimes interchangeable, but projection implies a jutting out especially at a sharp angle.

those projections along the wall are safety hazards

When would protuberance be a good substitute for protrusion?

The words protuberance and protrusion can be used in similar contexts, but protuberance implies a growing or swelling out in rounded form.

a skin disease marked by warty protuberances

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 protrusion The domed protrusions act like pixels, creating a ghost pattern of windows on the façade. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Mar. 2025 The reason whooping cough can bring on such a gnarly, well, cough in the first place is because of how B. pertussis wreaks havoc: These bugs latch on to the cilia (a.k.a. tiny hairlike protrusions) on cells in your respiratory tract and ooze toxins, triggering inflammation and swelling. Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Feb. 2025 Under such low pressure, the electric field causes positive ions generated from the residual gas in a tube to accelerate and bombard the cathode, creating sharp, nanometer-scale protrusions, which degrade and, ultimately, destroy it. Jin-Woo Han, IEEE Spectrum, 23 June 2014 The animals are identified by two protrusions on their lower jaw that appear like upside-down vampire fangs. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for protrusion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protrusion
Noun
  • If Russia consolidates its hold on Ukraine today, projections suggest that up to 20 million additional refugees could be forced to flee.
    Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • And while the recent announcement of Olivia Miles’ return for her final collegiate season, albeit at TCU, has shifted projections, Iriafen’s strong March performance and leadership in the absence of JuJu Watkins only raised her profile.
    Annemarie Farrell, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Violet-blue protuberances are surrounded by what look like thorns but are actually soft, if jagged, flower parts.
    Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 14 Mar. 2025
  • By flying drones over a remote stretch of the Canadian Arctic, scientists were able to capture unique footage of narwhals, shedding light on the function of their famed protuberances, according to a study published Feb. 27 in Frontiers in Marine Science.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • In addition, the Earth's equatorial bulge causes frequent gravitational perturbations that shift the orbit, there's more atmospheric drag when going over the poles, and reentry is a much more complex operation.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Cut For Time • There was a lot of talk on X, The Everything App, about Chappelle’s impressive bulge during the monologue.
    Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Don’t skip the fantastic songs or sections with actual lyrics!
    David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Redditors jumped into the comments section to share thoughts about the issue.
    Ashley J. DiMella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In the final episode, Lejla was drugged and taken to the very same glass dome where Alicia was being held captive.
    Jordana Comiter, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Santorini Photo: Getty Images Santorini, the island famous for its blue domes, volcanic landscape, and stunning sunsets, is one of the most popular Greek islands for all the reasons just listed.
    Elise Taylor, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Lavery said lofty prices for green coffee bean futures have remained an overhang for the company.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
  • This averted delisting removed a significant overhang that had previously weighed on SMCI's stock.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • When the loss function has a convenient mathematical property called convexity, this procedure is guaranteed to find the optimal solution.
    Zachary C. Lipton, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Jan. 2016
  • Even more interesting is the fact that Noctua is issuing three variants of the cooler with variations in the convexity of the cold plate: a normal, a high-convexity, and a low-convexity model.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 10 June 2024
Noun
  • Judah discovered his double portion, while his dad had one and mom had none.
    Ronnie Li, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025
  • OneNote's clipper can grab an entire website, a portion of a website, or just the content of an article.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Protrusion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protrusion. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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