TRIBUTARY Synonyms: 70 Similar and Opposite Words

tributary 1 of 2

noun

ˈtri-byə-ˌter-ē

Definition of tributary

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

tributary

2 of 2

adjective

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

Noun

The three principal rivers and their tributaries — the Los Angeles, the San Gabriel and Santa Ana — joined into an inland sea. — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026 Broad rivers formed by the gentle joining of their tributaries, too numerous to count. — Supriya Lopez Pillai, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Adjective

But these capitalists were encircled for hundreds of years by a sea of subsistence farmers and tributary empires that operated on completely different principles. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 Jan. 2026 History is everywhere in Okinawa, which from 1429 to 1879 was the Ryukyu Kingdom, a tributary state under China’s Ming and Qing dynasties. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 16 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tributary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tributary

Noun

According to the post, Kentucky State Police Aviation saw smoke in the area, and wardens and search and rescue personnel were able to access the location, near the headwaters of Cave Run Lake, using a boat.

— Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Sep. 2026
Others, like salmon, return upstream via Metro-North or the Long Island Rail Road to the suburban headwaters in which they were born, in order to spawn.

— Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of headwater

Adjective

But a clerical establishment that once cultivated the military to buttress its rule may end up being subordinate to it.

— Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026
Bucks encounter rivals, or even subordinate deer, and make scrapes in a sudden display of strength.

— Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of subordinate

Noun

Notably, the bill allows members to keep their current portfolio and leaves officials in the executive branch untouched.

— David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 30 Sep. 2026
The image also appears to show a branch going into the snake’s body, said Greg Pauly, a snake expert with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

— Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of branch

Adjective

During the task force’s September meeting, two assistant county administrators shared that the group’s name and mission wouldn’t comply with the DEI ban, Spragg said.

— Zoey Thomas, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026
There is still another FBI co-deputy, Chris Raia, who was formerly the assistant director in charge of the bureau's New York City Field Office.

— Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of assistant

Noun

Jody enjoys new experiences, cooking, running bayou trails and her goofy golden retriever, Poppy.

— Jody Schmal, Houston Chronicle, 30 Sep. 2026
There are Resident Evil games set in Spanish castles, runaway trains, ocean liners, weird mansions, the bayou, and strange theme-park-like villages, with bespoke creatures in each.

— Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of bayou

Adjective

Admission to the inaugural event is complementary but tickets are required.

— Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Rosalía and Loli Bahia might not be interested in matchy-matchy couples dressing, but their latest outing proves that contrasting wardrobes can be just as complementary.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of complementary

Noun

That may sound like a red flag on the surface—some smart feeders technically work without a subscription, but with so many restrictions that you may as well be forced to pay.

— Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 27 Sep. 2026
In fact, one of Lamper’s most viral videos shows Finn sticking his arm inside an automatic feeder to get extra food.

— Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of feeder

Browse Nearby Words

tributaries

tributary

tribute

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributary. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of tributary

noun

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on tributary

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perseverate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes