alcoves

noun

plural of alcove
1
as in pavilions
a freestanding airy structure in a scenic setting (as a park) typically offering commanding views a small alcove in one corner of the backyard garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in nooks
a hollowed-out space in a wall an ancient vase in an alcove and a sculpture of Achilles on a stand in the museum's Greek Hall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 alcoves Elsewhere, the children’s bunkroom pairs two built-in bunks with two captain’s beds tucked in their own alcoves. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026 Meanwhile, the two-story cottages include nap nooks, snug reading and rest alcoves. — Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2026 The boards illustrate the two-story building with details such as white walls and a clay roof, alcoves and residential balconies facing the street. — Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2026 The food court was completely shuttered, and the Coca-Cola vending machines had been yanked from their alcoves. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026 The alcoves on the rotunda's first level long held Iowa units' battle flags, including the 2nd Infantry's scarred banner. — Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026 By that time Dame Frances had established the idea of theaters of memory—imaginary architectural structures, replete with columns and alcoves and windows, where items can be placed for later recollection. — Literary Hub, 13 May 2026 The six individual bunkbed alcoves, built inside the airline's new fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, will have a lie-flat bed with a mattress, pillow, sheets, blanket and a seatbelt. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026 Guests crunch through colorful seasonal salads, sip from an expansive wine list and dig into chef Alan Sternberg's inventive pasta dishes at snugly cloistered tables in wood and brick alcoves lined with paintings, books and even a handful of typewriters. — Usa Today Network, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alcoves
  1. pavilions
  2. nooks
  3. corners
  4. niches
Noun
  • On the National Mall this week, Freedom 250 signs pointed visitors toward temporary state pavilions, a Ferris wheel and mobile, transitory history exhibits.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • Look closely, and the pavilions really did tell the story of America, if perhaps not quite in the way organizers intended.
    — Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2026
Definition of pavilions
Noun
  • These allergens become airborne and make their way into the nooks and crannies of your home.
    — Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • Inside at Revel Lounge, half the après crowd sips cocktails in robes and slippers while the other half have logged back on with work and are huddled away in the bar’s many discreet nooks and corners.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
Definition of nooks
Noun
  • Inside at Revel Lounge, half the après crowd sips cocktails in robes and slippers while the other half have logged back on with work and are huddled away in the bar’s many discreet nooks and corners.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
  • Once inside a world, the missionaries split up and seek out small groups chatting in quieter corners.
    — Fiona Murphy, NPR, 2 July 2026
Definition of corners
Noun
  • In a media landscape where algorithms reward niches, the artists who break through at scale are often the ones who give their audiences something to discover over and over again.
    — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Shower niches are stylish enough to compliment any bathroom.
    — Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 24 June 2026
Definition of niches

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alcove
alcoves
ale
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Cite this Entry

“Alcoves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alcoves. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on alcoves

Nglish: Translation of alcoves for Spanish Speakers

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