canyon

noun

can·​yon ˈkan-yən 

variants or less commonly cañon

1

: a deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it

2

: something resembling a canyon

the city's concrete canyons

Synonyms

• ravine
• gorge
• valley

Examples of canyon in a Sentence

as the scouts made their way through the canyon, they marveled at the sheer walls of rock on both sides

Recent Examples on the Web

The mountains on either side of the water give way to towering canyon walls, spruce and pine thin out, and only stout dwarf willow and spindly alder remain. —Chloe Berge, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025

The crew located them deep in a canyon. —Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025

Tucked in a small canyon, down a Forest Service road, are the 10 acres of apple and peach trees from Angle Orchard, a family farm that has been operating for over 100 years by virtue of tenacity and tradition. —Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 14 Oct. 2025

Flash flooding will be particular concern in burn scars, slot canyons and urban areas, according to the weather service. —Doyle Rice, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish cañón, probably alteration of obsolete Spanish callón, augmentative of calle street, from Latin callis footpath

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for canyon

• anion
• banyan
• carbanion
• companion

Kids Definition

canyon

noun

can·​yon

variants also cañon

ˈkan-yən

: a deep narrow valley with steep sides and often with a stream flowing through it