Illustration of oxbow
- oxbow 1
1
: a U-shaped frame forming a collar about an ox's neck and holding the yoke in place
2
: something (such as a bend in a river) resembling an oxbow
oxbow
adjective
Examples of oxbow in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In time, Huhn learned that the buck was bedding in nearly impenetrable cover along the oxbows of White Breast Creek.
—
Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 5 Nov. 2025
The river had shallows, marshes, sandbars, oxbows, eddies, weed flats and drop offs, all of which created nurseries, hiding spots and ambush points for a food chain that included aquatic bugs, frogs, fish, turtles, alligators, deer, otters, panthers and eagles.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2025
Silver’s meandering itinerary through the River and all its oxbows makes for an enjoyable ride.
—Idrees Kahloon, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024
In the 1990s, for example, one dolphin placed in an oxbow lake died after getting stuck in fishing gear that hadn’t been removed, according to the Natural History Museum in the UK.
—Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2023
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Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 5 Nov. 2025
The river had shallows, marshes, sandbars, oxbows, eddies, weed flats and drop offs, all of which created nurseries, hiding spots and ambush points for a food chain that included aquatic bugs, frogs, fish, turtles, alligators, deer, otters, panthers and eagles.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2025
Silver’s meandering itinerary through the River and all its oxbows makes for an enjoyable ride.
—Idrees Kahloon, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024
In the 1990s, for example, one dolphin placed in an oxbow lake died after getting stuck in fishing gear that hadn’t been removed, according to the Natural History Museum in the UK.
—Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 3 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Oxbow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oxbow. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
oxbow
noun
ox·bow
-ˌbō 
1
: a U-shaped collar worn by a draft ox
2
: something (as a bend in a river) resembling an oxbow
oxbow
adjective
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