gopher snake
noun
1
: a large, nonvenomous, colubrid snake (Pituophis catenifer) of western and central North America that is a powerful constrictor and is white, tan, yellow, or gray with brown or black squarish blotches see bull snake
Note: The gopher snake was formerly placed in the same species as the pine snake and is sometimes mistakenly identified as a rattlesnake.
2
Examples of gopher snake in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Though gopher snakes can grow up to 9 feet in some rare cases.
—
Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 2 Mar. 2026
When threatened, gopher snakes often flatten their heads and hiss loudly, mimicking rattlesnakes to deter predators.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
If there was a six-foot gopher snake roaming the property, why not a rattlesnake, too?
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
However, gopher snakes tend to be a bit bigger than rattlesnakes — typically measuring up to 8 feet in length.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Like when my husband assured me that the snake right outside the door was a rattler, so the poor gopher snake died needlessly.
—Chi Varnado, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
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.
Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 2 Mar. 2026
When threatened, gopher snakes often flatten their heads and hiss loudly, mimicking rattlesnakes to deter predators.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
If there was a six-foot gopher snake roaming the property, why not a rattlesnake, too?
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
However, gopher snakes tend to be a bit bigger than rattlesnakes — typically measuring up to 8 feet in length.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Like when my husband assured me that the snake right outside the door was a rattler, so the poor gopher snake died needlessly.
—Chi Varnado, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gopher snake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gopher%20snake. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
