alluvium

noun

Definition of alluviumnext
as in colluvium

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of alluvium What used to be open water was heading towards alluvium, and oblivion. — Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2026 At some point, alluvium buried the entire tusk, possibly from major storm flooding. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2024 The tusk was covered with alluvium, possibly during a major flooding event, MDEQ said. — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2024 These waters carried debris called alluvium, that makes up the Delta's fertile soil. — Richard Mason, Arkansas Online, 23 May 2021 Scott traces their advent to a few hundred years later, in a constellation of cities that sprang up on the Mesopotamian alluvium around what was then the northern end of the Persian Gulf. — Tim Flannery, The New York Review of Books, 12 Mar. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alluvium
  1. sediment
  2. silt
  3. loess
  4. marl
  5. detritus
  6. clay
Noun
  • The researchers say the ancient escarpment may have influenced river systems, sediment transport and the flooding of continental interiors long before the rapid diversification of complex life during the Cambrian explosion.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
  • In Athens, the finely-ground sediment called katakathi settles to the bottom, each pour heavy and dark, demanding patience and time.
    — Jennifer Leigh Parker, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of sediment
Noun
  • Microscopic particles of silt and clay can then settle on the soil surface.
    — Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
  • As the waters receded in some areas, many families returned to homes buried under thick layers of silt, adding to the challenges of recovery.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of silt
Noun
  • The base played a critical role in national defense, housing a command bunker, planted deep into the regional loess, that was designed to withstand a nuclear blast.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • The Rhône's predominantly granite soils versus Walla Walla's basalt bedrock, riverbed cobbles, and windblown loess.
    — Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of loess
Noun
  • Freshman Ben Smith became the first NCAA outdoor champion for Oregon in the shot put since Dean Crouser (1982) with a marl of 69-0 1/2.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 June 2026
  • Its striking blue-green hues and clarity—allowing visibility of 20 to 30 feet—are due to minimal organic runoff and calcium-rich marl sediment from its glacial origins.
    — Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2026
Definition of marl
Noun
  • Still, even with Ellison’s $111 billion WBD takeover plan under threat from a state attorneys general antitrust suit, $4 million and change is sofa detritus to the son of Larry Ellison.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
  • This is where the Sora 70's surface-cleaning functionality came in handy, filling the filter basket with every floating bit of detritus and leaving the pool looking as if there had been no storm at all.
    — John Mihaly, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of detritus
Noun
  • Considering the remote location, the camp’s range of wellness treatments is impressive, from rose-clay exfoliation wraps to full manis and pedis to massages with Namibian calabash gourds.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Kaolin and bentonite team up with colloidal clay to soak up excess sebum and sweep away pore-clogging buildup, while corn mint powder lends a little extra oil-absorbing power.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of clay

Browse Nearby Words

alluvions
alluvium
alluviums
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Cite this Entry

“Alluvium.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alluvium. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on alluvium

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about alluvium

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