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
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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
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Unfortunately, writer-director John Patton Ford has little feel for the American class system, no discernible talent for writing good dialogue, and minimal competency with directing actors.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
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Reached Thursday, a spokesperson for the diocese said questions should be directed to the Vatican.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Speaking of fairy tales, channel the Magic Mirror from Snow White with dreamy blue nails.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
21 Feb. 2026
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In the exchange, the duo were channeling their characters who, a decade and a half after the Scrubs finale, still come across as menchildren.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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The Army Corps of Engineers channelized and paved the once-meandering river.—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
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High atmospheric pressure over northern Mexico, combined with southwesterly flow, funneled in hot, dry air from Mexico to set the stage for the record-breaking heat.—
Newsroom Meteorologist,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Feb. 2026
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Blue Hills funneled more than $1 million to a nonprofit known as SHEBA that is run by McCrory’s friend, Sonserae Cicero-Hamlin.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Barefoot also simplifies the kitchen, deleting the dual-burner stove to shorten the main block, which now houses just the Dometic bowl sink piped to fresh and waste water tanks, an open worktop, and under-counter drawers and cabinets.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Feb. 2026
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City dwellers piped in fresh water and flushed dirt away.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Will Sullivan tip his hand on a potential plan of pursuit for Willis, Jordan Love’s backup for the Packers who is expected to carry an expensive price tag for a team looking for its next starter?—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
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Those are the players in recent memory who’ve commanded the kind of draft capital that reshapes franchises — the sort of seismic move that mortgages a future and, in return, attaches expectations normally reserved for franchise-carrying superstars.—
Kristian Winfield,
Hartford Courant,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Trump’s direction of the hospital ship to Greenland comes shortly after NATO began boosting its defense in the Arctic, largely conducting military drills.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Feb. 2026
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Kneeland, 24, had sent text messages that prompted the team’s chief of security to request police conduct a welfare check on Kneeland.—
Mike Wilson,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canalize. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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