Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of protuberance are bulge, projection, and protrusion. While all these words mean "an extension beyond the normal line or surface," protuberance implies a growing or swelling out in rounded form.

a skin disease marked by warty protuberances

When is bulge a more appropriate choice than protuberance?

The synonyms bulge and protuberance are sometimes interchangeable, but bulge suggests an expansion caused by internal pressure.

bulges in the tile floor

When could projection be used to replace protuberance?

In some situations, the words projection and protuberance are roughly equivalent. However, projection implies a jutting out especially at a sharp angle.

those projections along the wall are safety hazards

In what contexts can protrusion take the place of protuberance?

The words protrusion and protuberance are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, protrusion suggests a thrusting out so that the extension seems a deformity.

the bizarre protrusions of a coral reef

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 protuberance Tiny projections stick out from the stalk, and the crooked tip has structures called a conical protuberance, a globular head and a rugged flap. Katie Cottingham, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Sep. 2024 These extreme eruptions on the sun, if large enough, may be visible as tiny pink protuberances peaking around the edge of the moon. Dean Regas, The Enquirer, 7 Apr. 2024 When Kahan threw the typically upbeat floral protuberance, Tango obligingly chased after it just like a real dog would. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024 But mechanical gimbals are not exactly aerodynamic—one example is that massive protuberance on the nose of Predator drones. IEEE Spectrum, 30 Nov. 2011 See All Example Sentences for protuberance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for protuberance
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Noun
  • Gone are most of the toggle switches (and the little safety protrusions that accompanied them) on the dashboard, with the exception of one for changing between drive, reverse, and neutral, plus another to switch between drive modes.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The sea cucumber is also covered with tentacles and papillae, or fleshy protrusions, according to the study.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Unveiling the bulge–disc structure, AGN feedback, and baryon landscape in a massive spiral galaxy with Mpc-scale radio jets.
    Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
  • By building calcium carbonate cups one on top of another and budding asexually, polyps collectively bulge, branch, ripple and fan out into diverse shapes, including shelves, boulders, pillars, branches and cauliflower-like nubs.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 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
  • 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
  • Gone is the standard swell of the bat as it’s replaced with more wood in the barrel shifted closer to the hands.
    Julia Andersen, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Imagine the swell of pride if Mr. Gretzky made such a gesture, Mr. Prete said.
    John Branch, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • But market sentiment remains an overhang, according to several analysts.
    Pia Singh, CNBC, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The fate of external overhangs, including trade policy and geopolitics around exports to China, is a guessing game.
    Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Protuberance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/protuberance. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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