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
Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Sep. 2025
The museum has had two practice runs deploying the tiger dam, which takes about 12 hours and 10 to 12 people to fully inflate.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 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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show current usage.
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Noun
Pickleball courts, golf course to remain open Plans for the project include dredging the lake, repairing the concrete and foundation at the dam, and replacing a culvert near Flatwoods Road Cove with a bridge.
—Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Sep. 2025
The museum has had two practice runs deploying the tiger dam, which takes about 12 hours and 10 to 12 people to fully inflate.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 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 29 Sep. 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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