Synonyms of canal

canal

noun

kə-ˈnal 

as in aqueduct

an open man-made passageway for water

the Panama Canal opened a much easier and shorter passageway from the Atlantic to the Pacific

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aqueduct
• waterway
• river
• watercourse
• conduit
• flume
• racecourse
• raceway
• channel
• course
• gutter
• spillway
• sluice
• floodway
• stream
• millrace
• millstream
• torrent
• sluiceway
• trough
• rivulet
• tideway
• swash

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of canal

Or Florence Pugh’s DGAF canal-side stroll at the height of the Don’t Worry Darling drama. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026

The canal is a federal Superfund site regarded as one of the most toxic waterways in the country, though a long-term cleanup is underway. — ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026

Amsterdam is a city of water, but not all of that water comes in the picturesque form of a canal. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026

Under the searing desert sun, Max Wilson watched water flow through a canal in north Phoenix. — Alex Hager, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026