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

As the dikes spread, the region faced earthquakes and brought back into action long dormant faults, draining the magma beneath the ridge. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 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 dikes would consist of walls surrounding the city, separating it from the lagoon, Lionello said. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 16 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

The town is worried about the effect the wall would have on a series of berms and levees built in the 1970s and 1980s along the Rio Grande and tributaries to combat flooding.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
In the early hours of July 13, 1951 — a day now remembered as Black Friday — water breached the levees protecting Argentine, then swept into Armourdale, the West Bottoms, and the Fairfax industrial district.

— Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026

Definition of levees

Verb

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
With a minimal, yet still impactful, pastel floral design, the rug hedges its saccharine design with ample negative space.

— Briana Feigon, Architectural Digest, 17 June 2026

Definition of hedges

Noun

But the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 shifted federal spending priorities toward national defense and power-generating dams, delaying flood-control measures such as levees designed to protect low-lying communities like Argentine.

— Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
Remote dams create transportation problems Delivering an LPT to a hydropower facility presents another layer of difficulty.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026

Definition of dams

Noun

French authorities wanted to honor the ‘’blood spilled″ during WWI by Muslim soldiers who died in trenches of Verdun and beyond to defend France, Hafiz said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Ninety-five episodes later, Arthur was back in the acting trenches again.

— Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026

Definition of trenches

Noun

Rising sea levels push salt water inland through rivers, canals and shallow groundwater; storm surges cause embankments to collapse, allowing water to seep into soils, rivers and groundwater systems.

— Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, The Dial, 7 July 2026
Riding mowers are not designed for wet conditions and are more likely to roll on embankments.

— Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 June 2026

Definition of embankments

Noun

Start by making sure your gutters and downspouts are clean and directing water away from your home’s foundation.

— Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 19 July 2026
Rain barrel water, for example, is collected from rooftops and gutters where bird droppings and other contaminants may be present.

— Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026

Definition of gutters

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“Dikes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dikes. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of dikes

noun

verb

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