distributary

noun

Definition of distributarynext
as in tributary

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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 distributary Delhi gets its water from the Yamuna river, while Kolkata uses water from the Hooghly river, a distributary of the Ganga. — Sanjana Venkatesan, Quartz India, 2 July 2019 In 1831, a pathway was dredged between a distributary of the Mississippi and the Red, leading to the formation of the present Atchafalaya river channel. — Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com, 12 Dec. 2017 Saline water has long been invading the delta, but because of the drought there is not enough fresh water in the river and its distributaries to dilute the seawater. — Jane Perlez, New York Times, 28 May 2016 To the left another plume is coming from the Atchafalaya River, a distributary of the Mississippi. — Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 30 July 2013
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distributary
  1. tributary
  2. canal
  3. waterway
  4. branch
  5. influent
  6. watercourse
Noun
  • That allowed sea water to infiltrate freshwater tributaries across the peninsula, especially in lagoons and deltas where clam and mussel farms provided ample prey.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Families can enjoy the tributary and take in the fall foliage at spots like peaceful Wild River State Park and Interstate State Park, which offers clifftop views of the river.
    — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of tributary
Noun
  • Nothing was mistaken at the inaugural Cartier Cinema Club dinner held at Venice’s Gritti Palace, where Chazelle’s La La Land was honored with dinner on the canal overlooking the Basilica della Salute.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The road’s construction created a push for internal improvements in the early republic and opened the era of canal and road construction throughout the nation.
    — Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of canal
Noun
  • The fighting has halted most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil supply passed before the war began.
    — Cathy Bussewitz, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The Houthis have targeted the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a waterway off the coast of Yemen that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
    — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of waterway
Noun
  • Those years became an incubator of offensive ideas, pulling leaves from different branches of the scheme and adding plays and ideas to the binder that would soon blossom in Philadelphia.
    — Zach Berman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The robot must then navigate through dense crops, avoid branches and leaves, and locate the needle-sized stigma with enough precision to complete pollination.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of branch
Noun
  • So far, the city has completed several major components of the Springbrook improvement project, including adding in an ultraviolet disinfection system that replaced the facility’s old chlorine disinfection system and adding new pumps at the influent pump station.
    — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The influent flow is slowed to allow human and food organic waste to settle on the bottom of the tank.
    — The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times, 29 Apr. 2017
Definition of influent
Noun
  • Father and son were swept away by a landslide in the city of Arequipa in a neighborhood built directly over an ancient natural watercourse.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
  • At the same time, there are riparian natives — those that grow along watercourses — which may need regular attention in terms of water needs for many years after planting.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
Definition of watercourse

Browse Nearby Words

distributaries
distributary
distribute
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Cite this Entry

“Distributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distributary. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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