1
as in origin
a point or place at which something is invented or provided
we were uncertain as to the source of the rumors a source of inspiration
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Relevance
2
as in headwater
the beginning part of a stream
19th-century explorers who sought the source of the Nile
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3
as in reference
something mentioned in a text as providing related and especially supporting information
the professor asked the students to have at least five different sources for their papers
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as in to reference
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of source
Megan Feringa, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Toward the end of his life, his longevity became a source of embarrassment.
—Oliver Whang, New Yorker, 3 May 2025
Zach Wichter, USA Today, 15 May 2025
Bridges is committed to sourcing interesting wines from cool producers, meaning wines made with integrity, from growing to bottling, coming from a variety of regions.
—Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for source
Noun
Players responded well to the demands, according to a source who, like all referenced in this piece, wished to remain anonymous to protect relationships.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Toward the end of his life, his longevity became a source of embarrassment.
—Oliver Whang, New Yorker, 3 May 2025
Verb
Duffy said it’s gotten so bad that the agency sometimes needs to source replacement parts for ancient equipment on eBay, because they’re no longer made or sold by modern manufacturers.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 15 May 2025
Bridges is committed to sourcing interesting wines from cool producers, meaning wines made with integrity, from growing to bottling, coming from a variety of regions.
—Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for source
Recent Examples of Synonyms for source
Noun
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Pope Leo's Chicago origins and Peruvian service Born and raised in Chicago, Pope Leo XIV moved to Peru in 1985 to serve in the Augustinian mission in the area of Chulucanas.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
9 May 2025
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The dramedy from director Stephen Chbosky tells the true story of the origins of Enoteca Maria, the famed Italian restaurant on Staten Island.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
9 May 2025
Noun
-
Its main stem flows 2,350 miles from the headwaters at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, touching 10 states and spreading out into many more with its tributaries.—
Amy Graff,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
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Gauley River: Threatened by toxic pollution from strip mining for coal in the headwaters.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The campsite’s name is a reference to the Valley Forge Lodge, which operated in the area in the early 1900s.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2025
-
For reference, Naylor inked a one-year, $10.9 million deal in his final year of arbitration.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
The iconic watchmaker Swatch opened May 2 in a 830-square-foot space at the mall’s fountain court, according to the company.—
Catherine Muccigrosso,
Charlotte Observer,
19 May 2025
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The child was replaced, but by 1915, both figures had been stolen — and the fountain features were never restored.—
Michael Wells,
Kansas City Star,
18 May 2025
Noun
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This is a custom layer within the mattress designed to adapt and cradle sleepers at any position.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
9 May 2025
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Image Cardinal Parolin grew up in Schiavon, a small town in the northern Italian region of Veneto that is known as a cradle of popes.—
Jason Horowitz,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Noun
-
Ants will swarm plants that are infested with spider mites, cabbage loopers, root maggots, beetle grubs, scale, mealybugs, ticks, or other pests that ants feed on.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 May 2025
-
Change the water every day or two to keep the roots healthy.—
The New York Times,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
The inaugural Mass marked the official beginning of Leo’s pontificate.—
Molly Bohannon,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2025
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Coming back as a judge 20 years later is such a special full-circle moment for me and it’s meant a lot to share that journey with the people that have been there from the beginning, as well as a whole new generation of Idol fans.—
Michelle Lee,
People.com,
18 May 2025
Noun
-
The app provides basic image corrections, along with graphics and fonts, raw camera file support, retouching tools, and some workflow capabilities.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
14 May 2025
-
Accessibility Reader This is another innovation which works alongside Magnifier, to take text from the physical world and turn it into a legible format in a custom font.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Source.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/source. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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