DAM Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

dam 1 of 2

noun

ˈdam

Definition of dam

as in levee

a bank of earth constructed to control water the river backed up behind the dam until it formed a new lake

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

dam

2 of 2

verb

as in to block

to prevent passage through by filling with something ice floes were damming the river

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to fill

to close up so that no empty spaces remain dam up the pipes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dam

Noun

Rutherford County Emergency Management warned Lake Lure was engorged and some of its dam gates were being opened to increase water flow into the Broad River. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026 In early 2010, drought lowered water levels at the Guri dam, prompting then-President Hugo Chávez to declare a national electricity emergency. — Catherine Ellis, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026

Verb

One theory is that the rock and ice briefly dammed the valley, allowing water to back up in the river. — Umesh Haritashya, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2026 Rescue efforts were still ramping up Friday when a swollen glacial lake in the mountains upstream from the affected area, dammed up by debris and filling with meltwater, raised concerns of a possible new inundation looming. — Arshad R. Zargar, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dam

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dam

Noun

The state is pre-positioning more than 4 million sandbags, more than 50,000 feet of portable flood barriers and 400,000 tons of rock to repair levees.

— Adrian Florido, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
It was meant to be part of the state treasury to restore water conveyance capacity and help fund delta levee projects down the road.

— Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of levee

Verb

Antetokounmpo also blocked a Noah Clowney dunk attempt a few minutes later, and then got the ball back for a spinning finger roll on the other end.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
As Wrigley View Rooftop sees it, there’s no limiting principle allowing one sports business to block a neighbor from selling seats with a view.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of block

Verb

Tear gas filled the area, and Nathaniel saw two attackers in the back of a pickup with automatic weapons.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Richards signed a nonguaranteed one-year deal in late August to fill the 14th spot on the Heat’s standard roster.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of fill

Noun

The vehicle went into an embankment about a mile north of the East Kuna Mora Road interchange and overturned, according to police.

— Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 2026
Her remains were found in 1990 by accident, as fire department crews were responding to a traffic collision down an embankment near Highway 33 and Creek Road.

— Julie Sharp, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of embankment

Verb

Abiy's office accused the TPLF of obstructing the agreement and said that the latest fighting ended in its defeat.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Abiy’s office accused the TPLF of obstructing the agreement and said the latest fighting ended in its defeat.

— Khaled Kazziha, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of obstruct

Verb

Platforms are increasingly using unskippable 30-second TV-style ads, while numerous creator videos are packed with sponsor segments, product placements and pitches.

— William Daddi, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
The nearby Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters, however, was packed with customers as owners had purchased a generator in hopes of avoiding future business closures.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of pack

Verb

To make way for what will be the third reservoir to serve the canal, an area of more than 11,000 acres that is currently home to schools, churches, farms and cemeteries will have to be flooded and at least 1,600 residents re-homed.

— Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
In the post-George Floyd era, some young adults have been reluctant to become police officers compared to the days when departments were flooded with applications from eager jobseekers.

— Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of flood

Verb

Every home is different, with unique needs — there is no single plug-and-play solution.

— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 12 Oct. 2026
Alongside T’Vondre Sweat, Jackson has been tasked with plugging the middle of the Jets’ defensive line and helping stop the run.

— Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of plug

Browse Nearby Words

dallying

dam

damage

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dam. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dam

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on dam

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes