distributary

noun

Definition of distributarynext
as in tributary

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of distributary To the left another plume is coming from the Atchafalaya River, a distributary of the Mississippi. — Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 30 July 2013 By the 1950s, scientists noticed the consequences: more water was going down the Atchafalaya River, a distributary of the Mississippi. — Boyce Upholt, Time, 9 May 2019 Delhi gets its water from the Yamuna river, while Kolkata uses water from the Hooghly river, a distributary of the Ganga. — Sanjana Venkatesan, Quartz India, 2 July 2019 In 1831, a pathway was dredged between a distributary of the Mississippi and the Red, leading to the formation of the present Atchafalaya river channel. — Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com, 12 Dec. 2017 Saline water has long been invading the delta, but because of the drought there is not enough fresh water in the river and its distributaries to dilute the seawater. — Jane Perlez, New York Times, 28 May 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distributary
  1. tributary
  2. canal
  3. waterway
  4. branch
  5. watercourse
Noun
  • With more than 500 square miles of navigable waters, the Bay and its tributaries have kayak outfitters with key locations for spectacular views of San Francisco.
    — Jill K. Robinson, AFAR Media, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Maryland’s summer/fall recreational striped bass season in Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries opens May 16.
    — Alice Jones Webb, Outdoor Life, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of tributary
Noun
  • That could be a boon for a body of water frequently called an accident, because its current version was created in 1905 when a canal breach allowed millions of gallons of Colorado River water to spill out for almost two years, filling a desert basin.
    — Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2025
  • About 4% of the world’s maritime trade and more than 40% of US container traffic traverses canal.
    — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of canal
Noun
  • As the nautical gateway to the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America, Greenland has broader strategic value as both China and Russia seek access to its waterways and natural resources.
    — Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The regulatory rollbacks announced earlier this month include repealing emission limits on power plants, reducing the number of waterways protected by the Clean Water Act and reconsidering limits on car exhaust set to take effect in 2027.
    — Ignacio Calderon, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of waterway
Noun
  • Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the nonprofit Brennan Center for Justice, said the Trump administration's potential use of state secrets privilege could revive a decades-old conflict about the judicial branch's role in national security issues.
    — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 21 Mar. 2025
  • How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacramento Bee, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of branch
Noun
  • That episode led to the diversion of the Turia watercourse, which meant that a large part of the city was spared of these floods.
    — Teresa Medrano, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Nov. 2024
  • The flash floods battered regions like Barrio de la Torre in Valencia, where narrow streets became lethal watercourses.
    — Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Definition of watercourse

Browse Nearby Words

distributaries
distributary
distribute
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Cite this Entry

“Distributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distributary. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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