as in bays
a part of a body of water that extends beyond the general shoreline
the city sits on the shores of a deep estuary where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean
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Recent Examples of estuaries
Get On The Water Matlacha is surrounded by mangroves and estuaries full of wildlife like dolphins, rays, and manatees.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2026
But the discharges also can overwhelm the delicate estuaries east and west of the state’s largest lake and, during the warm summer months, spread blooms of toxic algae, an issue that has become more persistent in recent years.
—Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
The bridge connects parts of the region fragmented by the undulating sea coast and river estuaries, and is the only main route towards Moldova's border crossings to the west.
—Yuliia Dysa, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
On the tower’s other side, boundless flats of sand and cracked mud spread to the horizon across what was, prior to the river’s damming a century ago, one of Earth’s great green estuaries.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025
In 2017, deposits of bio-beads were discovered along Dorset and Devon beaches, with surveys showing millions of tiny plastic pellets embedded in the sand, creeks, and estuaries.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 29 Nov. 2025
Coastal estuaries are the scene of intense daily dramas of survival, featuring a cast of hundreds of species, and much of it is microscopic and underwater.
—Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025
Unlike solar or wind, osmotic power can run continuously wherever fresh and saltwater meet; at estuaries, desalination plants, even inland salt lakes.
—New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2025
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2026
But the discharges also can overwhelm the delicate estuaries east and west of the state’s largest lake and, during the warm summer months, spread blooms of toxic algae, an issue that has become more persistent in recent years.
—Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
The bridge connects parts of the region fragmented by the undulating sea coast and river estuaries, and is the only main route towards Moldova's border crossings to the west.
—Yuliia Dysa, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025
On the tower’s other side, boundless flats of sand and cracked mud spread to the horizon across what was, prior to the river’s damming a century ago, one of Earth’s great green estuaries.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025
In 2017, deposits of bio-beads were discovered along Dorset and Devon beaches, with surveys showing millions of tiny plastic pellets embedded in the sand, creeks, and estuaries.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 29 Nov. 2025
Coastal estuaries are the scene of intense daily dramas of survival, featuring a cast of hundreds of species, and much of it is microscopic and underwater.
—Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025
Unlike solar or wind, osmotic power can run continuously wherever fresh and saltwater meet; at estuaries, desalination plants, even inland salt lakes.
—New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for estuaries
bays
Noun
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The project will also include a redesign of the hospital’s ambulance bays to include six total bays, three for drop-offs and three for staging.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Jan. 2026
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What the engineers didn't take into account was that the airflow over the bomber's wings and fuselage along with the open bomb bays generated violent turbulence.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Estuaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/estuaries. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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