as in to direct
to cause to move to a central point or along a restricted pathway
the director of the charity should be canalizing the flow of donations so that the money ends up where it is most needed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 canalize
Some became conscious of the role a state could play in intervening in the economy in order to curb and canalize democracy.
—
Zeev Sternhell, Slate Magazine, 7 Apr. 2017
Zeev Sternhell, Slate Magazine, 7 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canalize
Verb
-
When a power play goal by the visitors later in the second, and a late goal that fooled Wallstedt to make it 6-1, boos rained down, directed at the officials, or the Wild, or both.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Affleck will now direct, co-write and star in Animals, slated for release in 2026.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Golden Globes hair 2026 channeled silver screen elegance with movie star bobs, sculptural waves, and vintage styles owning the night.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Selena Gomez channeled Old Hollywood glamour in a black floor-length Chanel gown with a white feathered off-the-shoulder neckline.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Upstream from Upper Klamath Lake, a key tributary was channelized and wetlands drained, resulting in massive amounts of phosphorus flowing into the Upper Klamath Lake and, eventually, the lower river.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
29 Dec. 2025
-
The Army Corps of Engineers channelized and paved the once-meandering river.—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Williamson, Newsom’s former chief of staff, pleaded not guilty in November in a scheme to enrich her friend Sean McCluskie, a longtime deputy to former Attorney General Xavier Becerra, using money funneled from one of Becerra’s dormant campaign accounts.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The treasury secretary is probing whether any of the money was somehow funneled outside the country.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The kitchen also pipes its own spiral sausage using a Calabrian pepper pork sausage from Lottie’s Meats, a Denver business started by sisters Chelsey and Cassie Maschhoff.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
14 Jan. 2026
-
According to the Los Angeles Times, characters from the original trilogy will start wandering Galaxy’s Edge, and John Williams’ score will replace the ambient spaceport noises piped throughout the land.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Three agents are then seen carrying the man away from the scene by his arms and one of his legs.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Art carries wellness benefits, as well.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Can Minnesota conduct its own investigation?—
Esme Murphy,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Cambridge conducted the first large-scale analysis of isotopic and ancient DNA data in cemeteries from early medieval England to assess their migration patterns, according to a press release by the University of Edinburgh.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canalize. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
