1
a
: a barrier preventing the flow of water or of loose solid materials (such as soil or snow)
a beaver dam
an ice dam
especially, civil engineering
: a barrier built across a watercourse for impounding (see impound sense 2) water
b
: a barrier to check the flow of liquid, gas, or air
2
: a body of water confined by a barrier
dammed; damming
1
: to provide or restrain with a barrier that prevents the flow of water : to provide or restrain with a dam (see dam entry 1 sense 1a)
dam a river
2
: to stop up : block
damming up their emotions
zoology
: the female parent of an animal and especially of a domestic animal
the foal's dam
dekameter
Examples of dam in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the river backed up behind the dam until it formed a new lake
Verb
ice floes were damming the river
Recent Examples on the Web
Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Construction on the 137-foot-high dam began in 1918 and was completed in 1925, seven years after the war ended.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
But over the years, the river had been dammed upstream, drying it up and killing the fish.
—David Gelles, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dam
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Noun
Sino-Metals blamed the dam collapse on vandalism and heavy rainfall, but the company has reportedly sought to ensure that any compensation is tied to silence.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
Construction on the 137-foot-high dam began in 1918 and was completed in 1925, seven years after the war ended.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Unlike many other beavers, these specific beavers were willing to dam a flashy urban stream.
—Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
But over the years, the river had been dammed upstream, drying it up and killing the fish.
—David Gelles, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dam
Cite this Entry
“Dam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dam. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dam
1 of 3 noun
: the female parent especially of a domestic animal
dam
2 of 3 noun1
: a barrier preventing the flow of water
2
: a body of water held back by a dam
dam
3 of 3 verb
dammed; damming
1
: to provide or restrain with a dam
dam a stream
2
: to stop up : block
dammed-up feelings
Etymology
Noun
Middle English dam, dame "lady, female parent"
Noun
Middle English dam "barrier to hold back water"
Medical Definition
dam
1 of 3 noun
: a female parent
—used especially of a domestic animal
dam
2 of 3 noun
: rubber dam see dental dam
dam
3 of 3 abbreviation
dekameter
Biographical Definition
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