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

In Colombia’s Ciénaga Grande, roads and dikes disrupted the flow of seawater and freshwater from the 1950s onward, contributing to one of the largest mangrove die-offs on record. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 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 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

In Natomas, Moore’s family and friends joined community advocates and volunteers in searches through fields, along levees and across neighborhoods.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
But the biggest issue in the North Bay is the area immediately east of Petaluma River, west of Lakeville Highway and north of Highway 37, where nearby levees have a high chance of topping over.

— CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of levees

Noun

Culex mosquitoes can breed in a wide range of habitats, including storm drains, roadside ditches, retention ponds, wetlands and other standing water.

— Kylee Rae Noel, The Conversation, 27 Oct. 2026
Hilly woods or swamps with lots of folds, ditches, and creeks are best for ground hunting.

— Colin Moore, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of ditches

Verb

Let’s hope this regime is wise enough to see that Willis hasn’t done enough to be viewed as the final answer, at least not yet, and hedges its bets by drafting a quarterback early in 2027, or acquiring an upgrade in free agency or via trade.

— Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2026
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

Definition of hedges

Noun

The department’s mandate includes overseeing tribal affairs, managing national parks, regulating extractive industries like coal and operating dams across the West.

— Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 6 Nov. 2026
Plans call for two large dams about 300 feet high, as well as nine smaller ones, holding water pumped from the Sacramento River and inundating about 15,000 acres in a valley northwest of Sacramento.

— Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of dams

Noun

In August 2025, utility workers digging trenches for a natural gas project in Lima, Peru, uncovered two 1,000-year-old tombs in a single day.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2026
Long Waterloo Heritage Trench Coat Taking its cue from the original Burberry trenches, the Waterloo coat is cut to a more generous, classic fit with soft, rounded shoulders.

— Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of trenches

Noun

Water began to flood the streets of Baja California Sur on Monday hours after residents boarded up homes and set up embankments as Hurricane Polo bore down on the peninsula Monday, threatening high winds, floods and mudslides.

— Megan Janetsky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of embankments

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“Dikes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dikes. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of dikes

noun

verb

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