as in tributary
a stream that flows into a larger body of water
a small creek that is the bayou of a larger stream
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Recent Examples of bayou
Shirley was buried in a segregated graveyard under live oaks, on a bayou.
—
Jesmyn Ward,
Vanity Fair,
21 Apr. 2026
Here the lodge’s rangers transport us on boats, searching for hippos who give themselves away by clusters of bubbles rising to the surface of the bayou.
—
Lucie Grace,
TheWeek,
17 Apr. 2026
On the day of our visit, the South Korean tanker SK Audace was loading cargo, hooked up to pipes so cold they were covered in a thick layer of frost despite the balmy bayou weather.
—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
The mayor did not provide specifics on either plan in question with reporters following the address, referring to the MetroRail plan as a vision and the bayou taxi plan as preliminary.
—
Abby Church,
Houston Chronicle,
12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bayou
Jesmyn Ward,
Vanity Fair,
21 Apr. 2026
Here the lodge’s rangers transport us on boats, searching for hippos who give themselves away by clusters of bubbles rising to the surface of the bayou.
—
Lucie Grace,
TheWeek,
17 Apr. 2026
On the day of our visit, the South Korean tanker SK Audace was loading cargo, hooked up to pipes so cold they were covered in a thick layer of frost despite the balmy bayou weather.
—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
The mayor did not provide specifics on either plan in question with reporters following the address, referring to the MetroRail plan as a vision and the bayou taxi plan as preliminary.
—
Abby Church,
Houston Chronicle,
12 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bayou
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bayou
tributary
Noun
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The property features over a mile of frontage along Fall River and controls two of the river’s primary spring-fed tributaries — Spring Creek and Lava Creek, according to Hall and Hall.
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For more precise information, Three Rivers Waterkeeper, a nonprofit that helps protect and restore the water quality of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers and their surrounding watersheds, samples the rivers and tributaries weekly each summer as part of its Swim Guide program.
Cite this Entry
“Bayou.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bayou. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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