as in canyons
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
the gulch floods in the spring with the runoff from the mountains, so wait until later in the summer to hike it
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Recent Examples of gulches
The road to the potato patches — where the community grows most of its vegetables — crosses several large gulches that frequently spill tons of rock and soil onto the track, requiring regular maintenance.
—
NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
In the 1910s, Bisbee packed some 35 nationalities onto ledges and into its gulches and streets, with Mexican and Balkan miners among the largest groups, most of them working at Phelps Dodge’s Copper Queen Mine.
—Masha Hamilton, Longreads, 19 Feb. 2026
NPR, 4 Apr. 2026
In the 1910s, Bisbee packed some 35 nationalities onto ledges and into its gulches and streets, with Mexican and Balkan miners among the largest groups, most of them working at Phelps Dodge’s Copper Queen Mine.
—Masha Hamilton, Longreads, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gulches
Noun
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Most long-distance Amtrak trains feature Sightseer Lounges with floor-to-ceiling glass domed windows, perfect for taking in the soaring desert canyons, rugged mountain ranges, and towering river gorges, all from the comfort of your seat.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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Located off Highway 180, Roaring River Falls flows from Deadman and Cloud canyons deep in the park's wilderness.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Noun
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The face of the moon never looks the same from one night to the next, as the shifting angle between the moon and sun causes sunlight to sweep across its surface, altering the shadows cast by craters, mountain ranges and ravines.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
23 May 2026
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Madeira’s cliffs and ravines are difficult enough that many walking holidays there are guided and focused on one part of the island, including the eight-mile forest hike through Ribeiro Frio.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
11 May 2026
Noun
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France’s Massif Central rounds out the European picks with dormant volcanoes, deep river gorges and lush plateaus.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
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Most long-distance Amtrak trains feature Sightseer Lounges with floor-to-ceiling glass domed windows, perfect for taking in the soaring desert canyons, rugged mountain ranges, and towering river gorges, all from the comfort of your seat.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Hills bend over valleys like graves for what remains of us, past and present.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
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In towns such as Maienfeld, the influx of mass tourism gives the impression that even remote valleys have become overrun.—
Jessi Jezewska Stevens,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gulches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulches. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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