watershed

noun wa·ter·shed \ ˈwȯ-tər-ˌshed , ˈwä- \

|Updated on: 21 Jun 2018

Editor's Note: watershed Has Geographic Origins

Definition of watershed

1 : a crucial dividing point, line, or factor : turning point

2 a : a region or area bounded peripherally by a divide and draining ultimately to a particular watercourse or body of water

b : divide 2a

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watershed

adjective

See watershed defined for English-language learners

See watershed defined for kids

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Examples of watershed in a Sentence

The show will not air until after the nine o'clock watershed.
a watershed moment in her life came when she inherited a reasonable sum of money and was able to start her own coffee shop

Recent Examples of watershed from the Web

Here are some of the major projects in each of the county’s 23 watersheds.

— zach despart, Houston Chronicle, "Harris County pieces together flood bond projects, millions at a time," 18 June 2018
Tropical Storm Alberto dumped six to eight inches into the Lanier watershed, raising the lake’s level to more than three feet above its full-pool elevation of 1,071 feet.

— david ibata, ajc, "Lanier parks, beaches reopen as high water recedes," 15 June 2018
Grand Traverse BAYKEEPER advocates for preserving water quality throughout Grand Traverse Bay's nearly 1,000-square-mile watershed.

— robert allen, Detroit Free Press, "Labatt Blue releases cans featuring top Michigan landmarks," 14 June 2018
Only 795 acres of oak trees could be chopped down on those areas designated as agricultural watershed.

— rachel swan, SFChronicle.com, "Napa measure to protect land from grape planting headed for defeat," 14 June 2018
Now deputies and officials from the coroner’s officer are canvassing the watershed where the turtle was found for clues, the sheriff’s office said.

— jared gilmour, miamiherald, "Missing a finger? This man just found one — inside a snapping turtle, Louisiana cops say," 13 June 2018
The White House submitted a revised package of cuts Tuesday, removing politically troublesome proposals to cut money to fight Ebola funds and to rebuild watersheds damaged by Superstorm Sandy.

— samuel chamberlain, Fox News, "House approves bill to cancel $15B in spending at Trump's request," 7 June 2018
The crews work from Lake Crescent to Lake Quinault in three coastal counties and six watersheds on invasive plants including Scotch broom, in a project aptly called Pulling Together in Restoration.

— lynda v. mapes, The Seattle Times, "Battling Scotch broom along Olympic’s Hoh River that threatens fish, forests," 27 May 2018
Afterwards, Kittleman said the county would move the gauges to other locations surrounding the watershed to monitor the flow of water into Ellicott City and the surrounding 4 square mile watershed that feeds into the Patapsco River.

— kate magill, Columbia Flier, "High-tech flood monitoring planned for Ellicott City watershed," 21 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'watershed.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

watershed Has Geographic Origins

Opinion on the literal geographic meaning of "watershed" is divided. On one side of the debate are those who think the word can only refer to a ridge of land separating rivers and streams flowing in one direction from those flowing in the opposite direction. That's the term's original meaning, one probably borrowed in the translation of the German Wasserscheide. On the other side of the argument are those who think "watershed" can also apply to the area through which such divided water flows. The latter sense is now far more common in America, but most Americans have apparently decided to leave the quarrel to geologists and geographers while they use the term in its figurative sense, "turning point."

First Known Use of watershed

1764

in the meaning defined at sense 2b

See Words from the same year

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watershed Synonyms

Synonyms

climax, corner, landmark, milepost, milestone, turning point;

conversion, metamorphosis, transfiguration, transformation, turnabout, turnaround;

boiling point, breaking point, clutch, conjuncture, crisis, crossroad(s), crunch, emergency, head, juncture, zero hour;

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

WATERSHED Defined for English Language Learners

watershed

noun

Definition of watershed for English Language Learners

: a time when an important change happens
: a line of hills or mountains from which rivers drain : a ridge between two rivers
: the area of land that includes a particular river or lake and all the rivers, streams, etc., that flow into it