1
as in dam
a bank of earth constructed to control water
an elaborate system of dikes built to protect the lowlands from the relentless onslaught of the sea
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to fence
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dike
Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 15 Dec. 2025
Chinese mitten crabs burrow into levees, dikes, and stream banks, increasing erosion and threatening flood-control systems.
—Staff Author Updated, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, 17 Aug. 2019
Ed Musial blames a series of finger dikes the state installed in the 1980s for channeling the river past their homes.
—Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, 30 June 2019
See All Example Sentences for dike
Noun
The organization will run out of money for dike maintenance in Bentiu by February, after months of some of the most severe flooding in years.
—Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 15 Dec. 2025
Chinese mitten crabs burrow into levees, dikes, and stream banks, increasing erosion and threatening flood-control systems.
—Staff Author Updated, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
Verb
In addition to the hundreds of thousands of acres of marshland that were drained or diked off, the researchers discovered former wetlands that now are forested that were unknown to anybody.
—Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, 17 Aug. 2019
Ed Musial blames a series of finger dikes the state installed in the 1980s for channeling the river past their homes.
—Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, 30 June 2019
See All Example Sentences for dike
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dike
Noun
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State and local teams are working closely with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the dam owner; however, there is still no exact time for when the hydroelectric plant will be fully operational.—
Terrance Friday,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Elgin Fire Department, which took advantage of the situation to do training at the Kimball Street dam and off Walton Island Thursday, is prepared to manage flood areas and assist with evacuations they be needed, Beecher-Crotty said.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
13 Apr. 2026
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The premiere opens with Rue in Mexico as a group of men help push her car out of a ditch in a desert landscape.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In a petition circulated online on Wednesday, residents drew attention to the lack of barriers or fencing along the waterfront path, especially in the Fells Point area, known for its bars and nightlife.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Apr. 2026
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His suggestion is to fence it off, preventing the hogs from coming into the neighborhood.—
Briseida Holguin,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Declines in groundwater levels have in recent years caused household wells to sputter and run dry, streams and wetlands to dry up, and land to sink, damaging canals and levees.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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The cost of upgrading the local levee is about three times the town's total annual budget.—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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It should have been called swamp or something like that…trench.—
Christine Terrisse,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
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The work required felling primeval trees measuring six feet in diameter and digging a deep trench through the marsh to accommodate boat traffic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The team, meanwhile, escapes by beaming the Stargate aboard to gate out before returning via the second gate.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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Still, not everyone is opposed to gate-checking bags.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The pickup struck a utility pole on the embankment and rolled over.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Francisco Zapata Nájera, 42, was working in a gold mine in the northern Mexican state of Sinaloa on March 25 when an embankment collapsed and a dam burst, leaving him stuck 985 feet below the surface, per the BBC, ABC and NBC.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And remove any leaves and debris on your roof, rain gutters, patios and decks.—
Terri Daxon,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
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Improvements will include new pavement construction, curbs and gutters, streetlights, sidewalks, and storm sewer updates.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dike. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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