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
Dick King-Smith
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
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
To help distinguish the fact from fiction, Scientific American spoke to Emily Fairfax, who studies ecohydrology at the University of Minnesota and worked with the Hoppers team to make sure the beaver depictions were dam right.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026
Katie Grant, Parents, 4 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for dam
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Noun
Also, the lower Guadalupe River begins at the Canyon Lake dam and winds through the Texas Hill Country to New Braunfels, allowing plenty of opportunities to rent a tube and float your way down the river, which also boasts beautiful water.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
To help distinguish the fact from fiction, Scientific American spoke to Emily Fairfax, who studies ecohydrology at the University of Minnesota and worked with the Hoppers team to make sure the beaver depictions were dam right.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
Plants can regenerate, since the beavers have dammed up the water to keep some for their little ecosystem.
—Katie Grant, Parents, 4 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for dam
Cite this Entry
“Dam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dam. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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
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