Meaning & use
tentacle
Last updated
A long, flexible limb, without bones, used by an animal such as an octopus or squid to grip or feel.
See it in a sentence
The octopus wrapped a tentacle around the glass to pull itself along.
The jellyfish's trailing tentacles can deliver a painful sting.
A note on using this word
Often used figuratively to describe the far-reaching, grasping influence of an organization, as in 'the tentacles of a criminal network.'
Another way to use it
2. noun
A far-reaching, controlling influence or presence, likened to a grasping limb.
The corporation's tentacles extended into nearly every local industry.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tentacle”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.