What Does "MOLE" Mean? The Complete Mole Definition
The meaning of MOLE is a small burrowing mammal with velvety fur and a pointed snout, especially one that lives underground in gardens and fields. In everyday English, MOLE definition usually refers to that animal, but the word can also mean a spy or secret agent who infiltrates an organization, or a small pigmented spot on the skin. In science, a mole is also a unit of amount of substance, though that sense is more technical than common conversation.
So, what does MOLE mean depends on the context: wildlife, espionage, medicine, or chemistry. The MOLE used in English comes from Old English and Germanic roots, and the animal sense is the oldest and most familiar. In word games, that flexibility is exactly why players often pause before locking in an answer.
Mole Synonyms: Words Similar to MOLE
MOLE synonyms include several context-specific alternatives, depending on which meaning you need.
- Vole — A similar small rodent, but it is not the same animal and does not live in the same underground way as a mole.
- Shrew — Another tiny mammal sometimes confused with a mole, though it has a different body shape and behavior.
- Spy — A close synonym when MOLE means an undercover infiltrator inside a group.
- Infiltrator — More formal than spy; it emphasizes secret entry into an organization rather than general secrecy.
- Nevus — A medical term for a mole on the skin, used in clinical contexts rather than casual speech.
- Spot — A looser everyday term for a skin mole, but it is broader and less precise.
- Agent — Sometimes used for a hidden operative, though it is less specific than spy or mole.
How to Use "MOLE" in a Sentence: Real Examples
Here are a few examples showing MOLE in a sentence across different meanings.
- The gardener spotted a mole pushing up soil near the flower bed.
- Police suspected the company had a mole leaking confidential information.
- She had a small mole on her shoulder that the doctor checked at her annual exam.
- In chemistry class, one mole of a substance contains Avogadro’s number of particles.
MOLE in NYT Connections #1107 — Why Did It Appear?
In NYT Connections #1107 on 2026-04-06, MOLE appeared in the Blue category, the hardest group, titled It fit neatly with and , all of which are parts of the arcade-style game. That theme is tricky because the words are ordinary enough to suggest other meanings first, especially , which most players may read as an animal or a spy. If you were searching for , the answer is simply that it was a game component, making it a classic .
