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the Erie Canal was superseded by a much larger waterway, the New York State Barge Canal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

Traffic on the critical waterway, through which one-fifth of global crude oil typically flows, has reduced to a trickle since the war started in February. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026

Carmel City Engineer Bradley Pease said floodwaters from the White River continue to push Blue Wood Creek into the Martin Marietta quarry, completely reversing the waterway's flow. — John Tufts, IndyStar, 19 Aug. 2026

Although the Sheinbaum administration is posturing the corridor as an alternative to the Panama Canal, the project is not designed to function as a replacement to the waterway. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 18 Aug. 2026

Iran also previously proposed collecting fees for passage through the waterway, while Oman proposed a system with voluntary fees in late July. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 18 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