Thesaurus results for DISTRIBUTARY

distributary

noun

Definition of distributary

as in tributary

Related Words

Relevance

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

Noun

Presidio is protected by a series of berms and levees built in the 1970s and 1980s along the Rio Grande and tributaries to combat flooding.

— Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Chesapeake Bay tributaries are important spawning areas, producing between 70% and 90% of the coastwide population of striped bass.

— Ken Perrotte, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of tributary

Noun

Water authorities trying to maintain adequate supplies of fresh water have banned farmers in some parts of the country from pumping water out of canals to irrigate their crops.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
Stephanie Gavan is a freelance writer and editor from Liverpool with a background in contemporary art and a deep affection for Italy, having spent years living among the canals of Venice.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of canal

Noun

Commercial tour boats, recreational boaters, kayakers, construction traffic, and Riverwalk activity all share one of the busiest waterways in Chicago.

— Darius Johnson, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
That would mark a major change from the pre-war state, when no country controlled shipping through the waterway.

— Todd Symons, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of waterway

Noun

At first glance, corals present as little more than colorful rocks — piles of lobes, stalagmites, and branches poking out from the seafloor.

— Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026
These are structures that branch repeatedly into finer and finer filaments, ending in a tuft-like crown of nanofibers.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Distributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distributary. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of distributary

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

nurture

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes