as in levees
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
1
as in blocks
to prevent passage through by filling with something
ice floes were damming the river
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fills
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.
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Recent Examples of dams
Katie Thornton, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
Hydropower dams are highly suitable for floating solar projects but present engineering difficulties due to significant variations in water height.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
In Golestan province, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds failed to arrive this autumn, with drought and upstream dams pushing the region toward ecological collapse.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Estimates provided by the TVA suggest the dams could keep Peninsula dry even in a 500-year flood.
—CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Successive Iranian rulers believed that dams, deep wells, and inter-basin transfers could outsmart geography and climate.
—Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
Running just under forty-two minutes and shot primarily from helicopters and drones, Murderers Bar documents the drawdown of Copco 1, the oldest of the dams along the lower Klamath Valley.
—Anne Reeve, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
But a lot of the dams are in bad shape.
—Katie Thornton, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
Hydropower dams are highly suitable for floating solar projects but present engineering difficulties due to significant variations in water height.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
In Golestan province, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds failed to arrive this autumn, with drought and upstream dams pushing the region toward ecological collapse.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Estimates provided by the TVA suggest the dams could keep Peninsula dry even in a 500-year flood.
—CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Successive Iranian rulers believed that dams, deep wells, and inter-basin transfers could outsmart geography and climate.
—Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
Running just under forty-two minutes and shot primarily from helicopters and drones, Murderers Bar documents the drawdown of Copco 1, the oldest of the dams along the lower Klamath Valley.
—Anne Reeve, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
Glacial outburst floods happen when the ice dams holding back glacial lakes fail, allowing a sudden release of water.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dams
Noun
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Despite the downgrade, the storm unleashed catastrophic damage—particularly in New Orleans, where storm surge overwhelmed levees and flooded more than 80% of the city.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Several creeks north of Vallecito Reservoir in La Plata County rose rapidly on Saturday, breaking through levees and over riverbanks, as the remnants of Tropical Storm Priscilla moved over the region.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The October court order rejects the Department of Education’s motion to dismiss the case and blocks the administration from implementing the discontinuation against nearly 50 grantees across the country while the lawsuit continues.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
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Because the Moon blocks the transmissions from Yutu-2 to Earth, the Chinese rover used a relay satellite to communicate with its base back home.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Each character has their own specialized sequences for these moments, and can go a step further once their synergy meter fills, allowing two fighters to do a special team-up that’s also customized to each individual pairing.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Capacity is limited, and fills up fast.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Family, friends and spectators line the embankments, looking down from pedestrian bridges and the underpasses, holding up signs and cheering.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Scruton and his team had a weekend to remove the trees, mud, dirt and embankments.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
When Jonah plugs his drive into the server, the drones immediately lock onto him.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The closest Grocery Outlets are in Point Loma and Mira Mesa, so this location plugs a gap for San Diego’s central coastal neighborhoods.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Shauna Bell, who lives along Van Buren, said the nearby stormwater drain is constantly clogged from highway debris, which floods her yard.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Oct. 2025
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What To Know One of the most dangerous threats for Southern California will be the risk of debris flow as the rain floods recent burn scars, including the Eaton Scar and Bridge Scar.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Our expert take The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.—
Jasmin Suknanan,
CNBC,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The chicken, now cut up into small pieces at the lunch hour, soaks up the broth and packs an even more flavorful punch.—
Joseph Hernandez,
Kansas City Star,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dams.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dams. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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