coulee

noun

Definition of couleenext
as in arroyo

Related Words

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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 coulee Unlike most of the relatively flat Dakota prairie, the Missouri breaks that make up much of Sutton Bay’s landscape create an assortment of coulees with cattail bottoms, perfect lairs to hide the shifty late-season pheasants. — Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024 Atop that mesa, hidden in a sandstone coulee, our campfire burned a hole in the darkness. — Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2020 Sagebrush steppes are cracked by muddy coulees hiding pines where the spring snow lingers. — Christopher Preston, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2020 Another Chilean volcano with impressive coulees is Aucanquilcha (see above), near the Chilean-Bolivian border. — Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 31 Mar. 2010
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coulee
  1. arroyo
  2. canyon
  3. gully
  4. ravine
  5. trench
  6. gulch
  7. wadi
  8. gorge
Noun
  • Grassroots organizers also say the first wave of notices did not reach many residents who live on one side of the arroyo and were distributed only in English.
    — Mack Baysinger Follow, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
  • Her soon-to-be husband waited for her where the arroyo opened to the road.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of arroyo
Noun
  • Standing on stilts near the top of the canyon, it is surrounded by brush and dirt on either side and is more than 200 feet from the nearest house north of Mulholland.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The statue was modeled after a real burro that lived in the canyon in the early 20th century.
    — Chris Boyette, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of canyon
Noun
  • Four rescuers used anchors and rope systems to reach Martin, secure him and guide him away from the steep gully.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Hazlewood also captured Taijul Islam, taken at gully by Green for 17.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of gully
Noun
  • Many more were imperiled by muddy water racing through the narrow ravines, sparking frantic rescue missions for dozens.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The helicopter then returned to the ravine and carried out the same technical maneuver to bring the second climber to safety.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of ravine
Noun
  • Firefighters hacked through wood, slate and concrete trench lines, a process the Reserve Organization of America says likely generated silica-containing dust.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The front office also re-signed key interior trench pieces, keeping offensive guard Sam Cosmi locked up alongside defensive tackle Daron Payne, while adding offensive line depth with veteran additions to protect Daniels.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of trench
Noun
  • Plastic waste flutters and settles into gulches, catches in the fencing.
    — Cristina Dorador, The Dial, 14 July 2026
  • Head right, and there came public land, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest with its creeks and gulches and two-bit towns like Peanut and Beegum.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 June 2026
Definition of gulch
Noun
  • On the way to the wadi, visitors can detour to the ruins of the frankincense capital of Samharam or drive up Jebel Samhan for a view of the clouds and a Baobao forest.
    — Anna Zacharias, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026
  • New geophysical surveys and coring of the wadi would shed more light on the hydrological aspects of the area, while other surveys might reveal where the eastward tunnels of the pyramid lead.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Aug. 2024
Definition of wadi
Noun
  • Progress has been hampered by persistent rain and challenging terrain, as crews have to work in a narrow mountain gorge, hemmed in between unstable cliffs and a fast-flowing river.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The mother and daughter are among 90 Americans missing after the devastating landslide and flood, which tore through steep mountain gorges near the Nepal-China border and surged downstream along a river, wiping out entire villages.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of gorge

Browse Nearby Words

cough up
coulee
coulees
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Cite this Entry

“Coulee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coulee. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on coulee

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about coulee

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