bourn

noun

ˈbȯrn How to pronounce bourn (audio)
variants or bourne
Definition of bournnext
as in brook
a natural body of running water smaller than a river idyllic days that were spent rambling the length of the bourn that flowed through that peaceful vale

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bourn
  1. brook
  2. creek
Noun
  • Was hearing Roland Hayes and, in time, other inspiring artists sing Schubert, Brahms, and Schumann songs like being beckoned by a musical brook to trust her instincts and follow its unlikely path?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The room was modern-rustic, with cedar-plank walls, limestone floors, hunks of Utah rock crystals, and a private back terrace with an outdoor swing overlooking a brook that provides a soothing nocturnal soundtrack.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of brook
Noun
  • Bryan Watts has spent more than three decades watching ospreys reclaim the Chesapeake Bay, returning each spring from South America to crowd its tidal rivers and creeks, shorelines, channel markers and nesting platforms.
    — Mark Robichaux, Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The hardwoods are only 40 yards wide and connect a swamp and a creek.
    — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of creek
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.

Browse Nearby Words

bourgs
bourn
bourne
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Cite this Entry

“Bourn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bourn. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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