as in headwater
a stream that flows into a larger body of water
the Amazon and its more than 1,000 known tributaries form the world's largest drainage basin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in subordinate
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 tributary
Anna Mazurek, AFAR Media, 26 Sep. 2025
Sitting on a tributary of the Nile, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, took some 15 years to built and the Ethiopians see it as a key to their future economic prosperity.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Time, 24 Aug. 2023
The edges of the country roads are decorated by tributary statues and banners flashing the faces of Allied soldiers who died in the fight.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 6 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Noun
Don’t miss the Côa Museum, one of the country’s largest, perched at the mouth of the Côa River, a tributary of the Douro.
—Anna Mazurek, AFAR Media, 26 Sep. 2025
Sitting on a tributary of the Nile, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, took some 15 years to built and the Ethiopians see it as a key to their future economic prosperity.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Sometimes the killers may be Chechens maybe organized by Putin’s other feral favourite, his tributary ruler of Russia’s Chechen republic, Kadyrov.
—Time, 24 Aug. 2023
The edges of the country roads are decorated by tributary statues and banners flashing the faces of Allied soldiers who died in the fight.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 6 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tributary
Noun
-
Biologist Fabiola ‘Fabby’ Baeza-Tarin and an unexpected team work together to protect the sparrows, their shrinking habitat and the headwaters of the Everglades.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway is a looped route, one that meanders through the Chattahoochee National Forest and encircles the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Yasuda ordered his subordinate, Lieutenant Colonel Tatsusaburo Suzuki, to prepare a report on the feasibility of a uranium project in Japan.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Indeed, allowing men but not women to have multiple spouses is clearly unequal and entwined with patriarchal ideology that positions women as subordinate or inferior to men.—
David W. Lawson,
The Conversation,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Xi has also built up the PLA Rocket Force (PLARF), an elite branch overseeing China’s fast-expanding arsenal of nuclear and ballistic missiles.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Adding to the anxiety is the fact that reported bayou deaths in the Houston area have more than doubled compared to 2023, with at least 25 deaths being confirmed so far this year by Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, the medical examiner.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The manor’s theme, which has included both a bayou and an asylum, typically changes annually.—
Laura Kiniry,
Popular Science,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Zwerner, a now-former teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, sued ex-assistant principal Ebony Parker, alleging Parker failed to act on concerns that the student had brought a gun to school in January 2023.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Her complaint alleged the school's assistant principal at the time, Ebony Parker, failed to act after being informed multiple times that her student had a firearm on the day of the incident and did not let staff search him prior to the shooting.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Evidence suggests the closer your feeder is to a window, the less likely that bird crashes will be fatal.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Brassicas Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and other plants in the brassica family are heavy feeders that require a lot of nutrients to grow.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Ultimately, Greg Fields’s understanding of the trade and Raymond’s attention to people and process form a complementary blend of respect for technical detail paired with a commitment to clear communication and helpful service.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
-
While the two often style their own respective looks, the 2024 BET Awards red carpet served as the ideal occasion for the couple to wear complementary attire.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
New president Wade Rousse, hired to the job on Tuesday, has decided to promote interim athletic director Verge Ausberry to the full-time role, a school source confirmed to The Athletic.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Energy transition, by contrast, typically refers to the transfer from one energy source to another.—
Sam Meredith,Dan Murphy,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributary. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share