as in bay
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 estuary
Some specimens are reported from the Sundarbans and other parts of the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta and from the Indus River estuary in Pakistan.
—
John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
The area represents one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the East Coast.
—Thad Moore, AJC.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Cows are responsible for many millions of pounds of nitrogen every year, polluting Florida’s springs, rivers and estuaries.
—Harper West, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Its alabaster beaches are perfect for shelling, sunset strolls, or spotting dolphins frolicking in the surf, while nearby mangroves and estuaries teem with even more wildlife.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for estuary
John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
The area represents one of the largest undeveloped estuaries on the East Coast.
—Thad Moore, AJC.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Cows are responsible for many millions of pounds of nitrogen every year, polluting Florida’s springs, rivers and estuaries.
—Harper West, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Its alabaster beaches are perfect for shelling, sunset strolls, or spotting dolphins frolicking in the surf, while nearby mangroves and estuaries teem with even more wildlife.
—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for estuary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for estuary
Noun
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The increase has overtaxed the mains and, to make matters worse, the Navy demanded a metropolitan sewage service to prevent pollution of the bay.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
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The resulting structure has the same rhythm of bays, and the same mix of solid and transparent surfaces as the original, while still being updated for today’s regulatory and environmental demands.—
Kieron Marchese,
Architectural Digest,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Bleary-eyed coverage that kicks off before sunrise in the States, with gusts off the firth and cut lines that can swallow a top 10 in an hour.—
Jenny Catlin,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
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On the distant horizon was a cluster of faint street lights, a small town hunkered on the far side of the firth.—
Douglas Stuart,
The New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Estuary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/estuary. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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