DIKES Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

dikes 1 of 2

noun

plural of dike

as in levees

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

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as in ditches

a long narrow channel dug in the earth water flowed along the dike to the small pond

Synonyms & Similar Words

dikes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of dike

as in fences

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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 dikes

Noun

Historical records indicate that dikes were deliberately breached during a military conflict, allowing the swollen Yellow River to inundate the city. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026 Like many inland dikes, the barrier in agricultural fields near the small town of Waddinxveen, east of The Hague, is made of peat that needs to be damp to be strong enough to hold back water. — ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026 City officials warned residents in the vicinity of the dikes to prepare to evacuate. — Kansas City Public Library Staff, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 Constructing protective structures such as levees and dikes can help, as can preserving natural landscapes, such as wetlands and estuaries that can act as a natural sponge to absorb floodwaters, in and near the cities, Shao and her colleagues wrote. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026 The core examples are nuclear power plants, dams, dikes. — Connor Greene, Time, 8 Apr. 2026 Officials had worried that a system of dikes along the Skagit River would fail, and potentially inundate parts of Mount Vernon, a riverside town of about 35,000. — Evan Bush, NBC news, 13 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 While the new dikes are funded by the federal government, the extensive reforestation efforts are privately covered by a non-governmental organization. — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dikes

Noun

Currently, only around 15% of Pennsylvania’s levees are accredited by FEMA.

— Kaleigh Yost, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026
Before floodwater began to rise, Abigail Erikson hadn’t planned to spend hours filling sandbags to save the community of Rocky Ripple as levees threatened failure.

— Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of levees

Noun

Travelers are advised to avoid roadside ditches, shoulders and unmarked trails and never touch anything that could be unexploded munitions.

— Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
In the spring, when the snow is melting and the springs that are high up in the rock cliffs some miles away are carrying it down full speed, the ditches overflow as does the little creek that runs near my cabin.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of ditches

Verb

Apple hedges across the supply chain, but these price rises illustrate systemic long-term pressure rather than short-term variations.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
For example, low-cost Irish airline Ryanair currently hedges 80% of its jet fuel costs, giving them a significant competitive advantage when fuel prices increase.

— Tiago Ventura, Time, 26 June 2026

Definition of hedges

Noun

The governor’s office said the state was securing its harbors, deploying emergency personnel to strategic locations and monitoring dams for any possible breaches or overflows.

— Dennis Romero, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
Data deployed across multiple platforms This constitutes a substantial addition to the country’s energy portfolio, given that only 3 percent of all domestic dams are equipped for power generation.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of dams

Noun

As police in Kathmandu buried dozens of bodies in multiple trenches, Nepal’s disaster agency said that 1,003 deaths had been counted there, with 3,916 people missing, including 583 foreign nationals.

— Shristi Kafle, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
In Kathmandu, police worked in heavy rain on Tuesday to bury dozens of bodies in multiple trenches next to a forested area.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of trenches

Noun

How levees work Levees are earthen embankments positioned parallel to a river that effectively raise the height of the banks of the river to prevent overflow when the river swells.

— Kaleigh Yost, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026
Ewa Mroczkowska’s production design also turns dewy embankments, decadent interiors, and sunrises over cemeteries into visions of storybook-like decay.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of embankments

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“Dikes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dikes. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of dikes

noun

verb

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