dam

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈdam 

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

She went out to the edge of the dam for a drink.

—Dick King-Smith

dam

2 of 4

verb

dammed; damming

transitive verb

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

dam

3 of 4

noun (2)

zoology : the female parent of an animal and especially of a domestic animal

the foal's dam

dam

4 of 4

abbreviation

dekameter

Synonyms of dam

Noun (1)

• levee
• embankment

Verb

• block
• obstruct
• flood

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

Noun

Without a substantially wetter winter next year, though, the dam near the Utah-Arizona line could face a real prospect of halting production and raising electricity prices from metro Phoenix to the Navajo Nation and around the rural West. —Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 28 Feb. 2026

The dam is the second-highest concrete arch dam in the United States (Hoover Dam is the largest), harnessing the power of the Colorado River into Lake Powell. —Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026

Verb

As these boar and beavers escape, digging up his neighbor’s fields and damming his streams, the two farmers begin to butt heads. —Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026

Lake Como’s roots date back to 1889, when Denver investors dammed a creek about 5 miles west of downtown and built a luxury resort, casino and amusement rides modeled after Como, Italy. —Kamal Morgan february 7, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb

Middle English, probably from Middle Dutch; akin to Old English fordemman to stop up

Noun (2)

Middle English dam, dame lady, dam — more at dame

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing dam

• air dam
• beaver dam
• tinker's dam

Rhymes for dam

• am
• bam
• cham
• clam
• damme
• damn
• dram
• flam
• fram
• gram
• ham
• jam

Kids Definition

dam

1 of 3 noun

ˈdam 

: the female parent especially of a domestic animal

dam

2 of 3 noun

1

: 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

ˈdam 

: 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

Dam

biographical name

ˈdam  ˈdäm 

(Carl Peter) Henrik 1895–1976 Danish biochemist