Synonyms for

Beetles

Verb / ˈbi:tʌlz / Another word for beetles — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

Beetles are a type of insect with a hard outer shell and six legs. There are many different kinds of beetles, including ladybugs, fireflies, and scarab beetles.

Synonyms & similar words

Synonyms by register

Formal

Informal

Literary

Common collocations

  • ladybugs
  • dung beetles
  • stag beetles
  • fireflies
  • weevils
  • ground beetles
  • rove beetles

Word family

noun beetle

Usage note

Beetle is a specific type of insect. While 'bug' is often used informally for any insect, it technically refers to a different order (Hemiptera).

Example sentences

  1. The beetles crawled all over the rotten log.
  2. I saw a ladybug and a firefly in the garden.
  3. The dung beetle rolled a ball of poop across the field.
  4. The rhinoceros beetle has a horn on its head.
  5. The cockchafer is a type of beetle that eats plants.

Quotes

  • "The small beetles swarm about in the sunshine, and make the dusty street gay with their moving bits of color."
  • "The rose is a rose, And was always a rose. But the theory now goes That the apple's a rose, And the pear is, and so's The plum, I suppose. The dear only knows What will next prove a rose. You, of course, are a rose-- But were always a rose."
  • "The difference between utility and utility plus beauty is the difference between telephone wires and the spider web." - Edwin Way Teale

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