spillway

noun

spill·​way ˈspil-ˌwā How to pronounce spillway (audio)
Synonyms of spillwaynext
: a passage for surplus water to run over or around an obstruction (such as a dam)

Examples of spillway in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Or, on the spillway side, Riverhaven Drive resident Andrew Freund has been able to wade summer after summer into the peaceful, shallow, clear water below his and his wife Devon’s house with a snorkel and a mask on his head, surveying the bottom of the entire cove. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2025 If reservoirs fill to the top too quickly in big storms, large amounts of water are released down their spillways, causing flooding to homes and communities downstream. — Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2025 Photos and videos show water gushing into the hole after back-to-back atmospheric rivers poured several inches of rain over northern California, raising Lake Berryessa water levels enough that water overflowed into the spillway. — Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 7 Feb. 2025 Water raged even higher this time (nearly 8 feet over the top of the spillway) and became a monster, obliterating parts of the neighborhood. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spillway

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spillway was in 1889

Rhymes for spillway

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Browse Nearby Words

spillway
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Cite this Entry

“Spillway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spillway. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

spillway

noun
spill·​way ˈspil-ˌwā How to pronounce spillway (audio)
: a passage for extra water to run over or around a dam

More from Merriam-Webster on spillway

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for spillway

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spillway

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