as in aqueduct
an open man-made passageway for water
the Panama Canal opened a much easier and shorter passageway from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of canal
Nice, with surf and sun; Brittany, with its bracing coasts; Strasbourg, with its canals and tartes flambées—and you'll be rewarded with more and more places to add to your must-see list.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2026
The first responders found a 2012 Dodge Journey submerged in about 12 feet of water in the nearby canal.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
Marcello’s first show takes place at Chiesa di San Francesco della Vigna, a striking Renaissance church, before canals flood the venue, sending guests scrambling for rain boots and ponchos.
—Jenn Rice, Travel + Leisure, 23 Dec. 2025
Europe’s largest lake district transforms into a frozen labyrinth of lakes, rivers, and canals surrounded by vasts swaths of forest.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canal
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Jan. 2026
The first responders found a 2012 Dodge Journey submerged in about 12 feet of water in the nearby canal.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
Marcello’s first show takes place at Chiesa di San Francesco della Vigna, a striking Renaissance church, before canals flood the venue, sending guests scrambling for rain boots and ponchos.
—Jenn Rice, Travel + Leisure, 23 Dec. 2025
Europe’s largest lake district transforms into a frozen labyrinth of lakes, rivers, and canals surrounded by vasts swaths of forest.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canal
Noun
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The tunnel would create a second route to transport water from new intakes on the Sacramento River to the south side of the Delta, where pumps send water into the aqueducts of the State Water Project.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
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After that flood, a hospital spokesperson said mitigation measures were put in place to protect the hospital against a 500-year flood and also noted the city made sewer and aqueduct improvements to reduce flood risk.—
Carol Thompson,
CBS News,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The state also has an above average number of polluted waterways and more coal ash ponds — small, toxic water bodies near coal plants where poisonous refuse is discarded — than any other state.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
6 Jan. 2026
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Matthew Adler also called for more regulations on Florida waterways, noting there are far fewer rules for people operating boats than operating cars, the Independent reported.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canal. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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