waterway

noun

wa·​ter·​way ˈwȯ-tər-ˌwā 

ˈwä-

1

: a way or channel for water

2

: a navigable body of water

Synonyms of waterway

• canal
• aqueduct

Examples of waterway in a Sentence

the Erie Canal was superseded by a much larger waterway, the New York State Barge Canal

Recent Examples on the Web

In the legend, Yu, a heroic figure, saved Chinese civilization from decades of devastating floods by dredging rivers and waterways. —Literary Hub, 15 Dec. 2025

By foregrounding things like ancient waterways and table tennis, China is deploying a sophisticated brand of cultural statecraft designed to soften the edges of a hardening geopolitical landscape. —Xianda Huang, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025

Other tribes with senior rights, most notably the Klamath Tribes in California, have used this legal mechanism to preserve fish, wetlands or waterways. —Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 14 Dec. 2025

This waterway is the only way in or out of the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and is vital for Russia to export goods like oil. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for waterway

• aaa
• adonais
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• baa
• beaujolais
• bouvier
• breakaway

Kids Definition

waterway

noun

wa·​ter·​way ˈwȯt-ər-ˌwā 

ˈwät-

1

: a channel for water

2

: a body of water through which ships can travel