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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By nightfall, 100-mile-per-hour winds howled through the canyons.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
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For Peru, that means looking beyond Machu Picchu and Cusco to discover what lies south—a region of white volcanic cities, canyons twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, and a food scene that rivals Lima’s in flavor (if not fame).—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 May 2026
Noun
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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
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The manhunt has so far been contained to Stewart County, where search crews are up against an immediate terrain of steep hills with deep ravines or hollows, the sheriff said.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Noun
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Dimitsana and Arcadian mountain trails The heartland of the Peloponnese is Arcadia, a mountainous province of gorges and hills, many precariously topped by medieval towns.—
Helen Brown,
TheWeek,
30 Apr. 2026
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The island’s eastern region of Lasithi is home to dramatic gorges, small mountain villages, Europe’s largest natural palm forest—and fewer crowds.—
Yulia Denisyuk,
Robb Report,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While the East shivers for much of the week, a heat wave in the West is forecast to bring well-above average or even record-breaking temperatures, with high temperatures soaring into the 110s in the valleys of Southern California and Arizona.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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During the journey, passengers pass waterfalls, rivers, and steep valleys, crossing over 41 bridges and through 13 tunnels.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gulches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulches. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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