ensconce

verb

in-ˈskän(t)s How to pronounce ensconce (audio)
Definition of ensconcenext
1
as in to nestle
to establish or place comfortably or snugly the kids had contentedly ensconced themselves on the couch before the TV happily ensconced in her new home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to conceal
to put into a hiding place ensconced the spare house key in a place where no intruder would think to look

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 ensconce The father-daughter duo has set up shop ensconced in the woods, herding donkeys and so far evading the violence closing in on them from the outside. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026 To make potty training less stressful for everyone, choose a time when your little one is safely ensconced in the steady rhythm of routine and you’re relaxed and able to devote your attention to the task at hand. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026 Rodríguez remained ensconced in Caracas for a full day before visiting La Guaira and assessing the damage. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 Stephen Cloobeck — a one-time California gubernatorial candidate ensconced in Democratic political circles — pleaded not guilty to witness tampering charges Friday related to a burglary case against his former paramour, OnlyFans model Adva Lavie. — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ensconce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ensconce
  1. nestle
  2. conceal
  3. lodge
  4. bury
  5. perch
  6. hide
  7. position
  8. settle
Verb
  • Sugarite Canyon State Park, New Mexico On the border where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, the flat-top mesas of Sugarite Canyon State Park frame the indigo blue lake nestled at the bottom of the canyon.
    — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
  • One image shows an intact amphora nestled among thick seagrass on the seafloor — while another shows a police diver examining a large, heavily encrusted vessel.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of nestle
Verb
  • According to prosecutors, Ramirez, Niembro and others concealed from Nodus board members, executives and Puerto Rico banking regulators that investments and loans made by the institution benefited Ramirez and Niembro themselves.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The tax evasion charge involved concealing income and filing false tax returns for that year, according to the indictment.
    — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of conceal
Verb
  • Everyone from the guides to the dining staff have come to know the area well over the years of preparation to open—and deeply love the animals and scenery that lodges like this one aim to protect.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Following an October 2025 weapon charge, ICE lodged a detainer against Bautista, but local officials declined the request under New York City's sanctuary policies.
    — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of lodge
Verb
  • The Super-Kamiokande experiment, an enormous 110 million-pound (50-kiloton) vessel of ultrapure water buried under a mountain in Japan, discovered in 1998 that neutrinos produced in the atmosphere were oscillating.
    — Doug Cowen, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The infrastructure is buried underground, already doing its work for the citizens.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of bury
Verb
  • The rooms Every single one of the 75 rooms is ocean-facing, with floor to ceiling sliding glass doors framing the view, and leading to private terraces perched above the mangroves.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The country music icon and her husband, Carl Dean, acquired the third-acre spread perched just above the Sunset Strip in December 1985 for $750,000.
    — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of perch
Verb
  • Rhys-Davies is the archangel Raphael, who hides the star’s light inside her heart, and Boneta is Joshua, a stranger with a difficult history who goes on the run with her.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Measure your numbers, work with a clinician and stop treating hormone health as something to hide.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • Investors who position for those bailouts stand to benefit, Hayes said, pointing to the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and other episodes over the past two decades.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • An aging America shifts the mix of demand, and some businesses are better positioned than others to catch it.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of position
Verb
  • Florida’s research has long tracked how different kinds of work settle in different places.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Mercury in your partnership house squares Mars in your 4th, creating friction between another person’s perspective and what feels comfortable or settled to you.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of settle

Browse Nearby Words

enroots
ensconce
ensconced
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Ensconce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ensconce. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Luddite

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All