as in aqueducts
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
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Recent Examples of canals
Located on the lake’s northwestern shore, the primarily residential township is widely regarded as one of Michigan’s premier boating communities, where canals, marinas and open water shape everyday life, writes Brendel Clark.
—
Leah Olajide, Freep.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Today, quagga mussels are present in the lower Colorado River and the canals of the Central Arizona Project and Salt River Project.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Venice has no shortage of memorable experiences for couples, including, of course, a gondola ride through the city’s winding canals, where boats drift beneath stone bridges and past centuries-old buildings.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
In one of its most contentious battles, DERM issued pollution violations that forced Florida Power & Light to clean up cooling canals at Turkey Point.
—Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
The road with its bridge encouraged immigration, and Irish workers flooded into England to build canals and roads.
—Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Manatee season in Florida typically runs from mid-November through March 31, when dropping ocean temperatures send the gentle giants flocking to warmer inland springs and power plant discharge canals.
—Doris Alvarez Cea, Florida Times-Union, 6 Mar. 2026
That project would have covered the Animas and La Plata river valleys with canals, pumps and pipelines.
—David Marston, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
Even as aquatic creatures are starting to fill the canals, however, ships are still sparse in the early spring, and the locks that allow movement through the water are often closed.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 2 Mar. 2026
Leah Olajide, Freep.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Today, quagga mussels are present in the lower Colorado River and the canals of the Central Arizona Project and Salt River Project.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Venice has no shortage of memorable experiences for couples, including, of course, a gondola ride through the city’s winding canals, where boats drift beneath stone bridges and past centuries-old buildings.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
In one of its most contentious battles, DERM issued pollution violations that forced Florida Power & Light to clean up cooling canals at Turkey Point.
—Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026
The road with its bridge encouraged immigration, and Irish workers flooded into England to build canals and roads.
—Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Manatee season in Florida typically runs from mid-November through March 31, when dropping ocean temperatures send the gentle giants flocking to warmer inland springs and power plant discharge canals.
—Doris Alvarez Cea, Florida Times-Union, 6 Mar. 2026
That project would have covered the Animas and La Plata river valleys with canals, pumps and pipelines.
—David Marston, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
Even as aquatic creatures are starting to fill the canals, however, ships are still sparse in the early spring, and the locks that allow movement through the water are often closed.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canals
Noun
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Picnic in the shadow of ancient aqueducts.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Mar. 2026
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Students learn how their water travels from the Sierra Nevada through reservoirs, pipes and aqueducts to finally end up in their homes.—
Molly McCrea,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That geographic spread covers a large swath of southern Florida, encompassing both heavily urban areas and more rural regions with waterways and natural habitats where the lizards can thrive.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
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Designed around lush vegetation, waterways, and carefully maintained wildlife habitats, the park gives visitors a chance to explore environments inspired by African and Asian landscapes without ever leaving Central Florida.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canals. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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