sandcastle

American  

[sand-kas-uhl, -kah-suhl] / ˈsændˌkæs əl, -ˌkɑ səl /

noun

• sandcastles
  plural

1. a small castlelike structure made of wet sand, as by children at a beach.

2. a plan or idea with little substance.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sandcastles
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of sandcastle

First recorded in 1850–55; sand + castle

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sandcastle sandcastles

Swimming, sailing, even just building a sandcastle - the ocean benefits our physical and mental wellbeing.

From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2024

TORRES: I equate it to building a sandcastle where you don’t really start out with a blueprint.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 5, 2024

But that whole life was gone in the fire, toppled like a sandcastle.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2023

There's laughter, sandcastle construction and everyone - whether they're a captain of industry or a truck driver - is enjoying the great embrace of the ocean.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2023

He still looks like he lost a battle with a sandcastle.

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

That way, you can build realistic blueprints in the sky rather than sandcastles.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 21, 2026

The first, as old as time, the tide of the Balearic Sea, methodically erasing the day’s lovingly crafted sandcastles.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2024

Waves crashed against the tiered steps, children wearing coats built sandcastles, and one woman took off her Chelsea boots and dug her bare feet into the sand.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 26, 2023

"We just got here, so I'll look at the menu, get in the water, build some sandcastles with baby girl and then circle back in about an hour."

From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2023

Megan liked to build sandcastles and collect shells and play sand tennis and read magazines.

From "The Lemonade War" by Jacqueline Davies

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