Illustration of carpenter ant
carpenter ant
noun
: an ant (especially genus Camponotus) that gnaws galleries especially in dead or decaying wood
Examples of carpenter ant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Not all ants are bad for the garden—some help with soil health and pest control—but fire ants and carpenter ants can be serious nuisances or hazards.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 25 May 2025
The fungus that hijacks ants like a ghastly marionette
Penn State
The humble carpenter ant is the unsuspecting victim of this nightmare.
—New Atlas, 12 Apr. 2025
While the essential oils and extracts distilled from citrus peels are effective at repelling insects ranging from carpenter ants to cockroaches, these compounds only work when applied in high concentrations, much higher than what is present in the peel itself.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025
Researchers have observed Florida carpenter ants (Camponotus floridanus) biting off the injured legs of their nestmates.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for carpenter ant
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.
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 25 May 2025
The fungus that hijacks ants like a ghastly marionette
Penn State
The humble carpenter ant is the unsuspecting victim of this nightmare.
—New Atlas, 12 Apr. 2025
While the essential oils and extracts distilled from citrus peels are effective at repelling insects ranging from carpenter ants to cockroaches, these compounds only work when applied in high concentrations, much higher than what is present in the peel itself.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025
Researchers have observed Florida carpenter ants (Camponotus floridanus) biting off the injured legs of their nestmates.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for carpenter ant
Cite this Entry
“Carpenter ant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carpenter%20ant. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share