waterway

noun

wa·​ter·​way ˈwȯ-tər-ˌwā 

ˈwä-

1

: a way or channel for water

2

: a navigable body of water

Synonyms of waterway

• canal
• aqueduct

Examples of waterway in a Sentence

the Erie Canal was superseded by a much larger waterway, the New York State Barge Canal

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s down from more than 100 transits a day before the war and not nearly enough to carry the 9 million barrels per day through the strait that Wright claims has been traveling through the waterway. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026

Around 130 ships a day passed through the vital waterway before the war started on February 28. — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Oil futures are still climbing, demonstrating that the supply crunch wrought by the closure of the critical waterway is not expected to abate soon. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026

Europe is contending with another heat wave this week, as soaring temperatures raise the risk of wildfires, threaten crops and dry watersheds that feed the region’s waterways, including the Rhine, Danube and Po. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for waterway

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

waterway

noun

wa·​ter·​way ˈwȯt-ər-ˌwā 

ˈwät-

1

: a channel for water

2

: a body of water through which ships can travel