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the Erie Canal was superseded by a much larger waterway, the New York State Barge Canal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

Conflict in the Middle East has created a major bottleneck in global shipping this year thanks to blockades and fighting in and around the critical Strait of Hormuz, a waterway south of Iran. — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2026

Tuesday’s attacks hit Saudi oil facilities connected to an alternative route, the Bab el-Mandeb, a strategic waterway off the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Crude oil traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz has plunged, and Iran has refused to reopen the waterway. — Jeffrey Collins, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2026

The robot has additionally been shown crossing icy waterways with depths of up to 80 centimeters, underscoring the company’s focus on developing machines capable of operating across widely varying environments. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for waterway

• aaa
• alleyway
• alumnae
• anime
• anyway
• arete
• attache
• axillae
• 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