as in to rinse
to pour liquid over or through in order to cleanse
if you get the chemical in your eye, irrigate the eye thoroughly with water
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Recent Examples of irrigate
Fresh water would be pumped at least 100 miles inland to reach California's Imperial Valley, a vast desert that today is irrigated with Colorado River water to grow crops from alfalfa to lettuce and onions.
—
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
So in the mid-2010s, avocado growers lobbied the city to opt for an alternative that would benefit them both — recycling much of that runoff to irrigate farms.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
The orchard is dry farmed, meaning it is not irrigated other than by winter rain, which averages 14-15 inches, the same as that of Los Angeles.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
Concurrently, state engineers began diverting water from the Amu Darya to irrigate farms.
—Michael Snyder, Saveur, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irrigate
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
So in the mid-2010s, avocado growers lobbied the city to opt for an alternative that would benefit them both — recycling much of that runoff to irrigate farms.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
The orchard is dry farmed, meaning it is not irrigated other than by winter rain, which averages 14-15 inches, the same as that of Los Angeles.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
Concurrently, state engineers began diverting water from the Amu Darya to irrigate farms.
—Michael Snyder, Saveur, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irrigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irrigate
Verb
-
Scrub the area with a nylon brush, then rinse with clean water.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Open the umbrella completely, and rinse it thoroughly with a normal garden hose.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
However, it should be noted that down should not be bleached or washed with fabric softener.—
Katie Cloyd,
Martha Stewart,
22 Apr. 2026
-
There are standalone bath tubs by the windows in every suite (showers and wash closets are separate), plus another half bathroom, walk-in closet, and roomy living area that make the upgrade well worthwhile.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The airbender has not been present in flushing thus far.—
James O'Connell,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
This looks well-proportioned and contains a vanity sink, a walk-in shower, a flushing toilet, and a washer/dryer.—
Adam Williams
April 22,
New Atlas,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irrigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irrigate. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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