1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

gutter 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of gutternext
as in vulgar
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society a novel that does a good job of rendering the gutter language of that stratum of society

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

gutter

2 of 3

noun

ˈgə-tər How to pronounce gutter (audio)
1
as in trough
a pipe or channel for carrying off water from a roof one of his chores is to clean leaves and sticks out of the gutters before winter sets in

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in ditch
a long narrow channel dug in the earth rainwater running off the road into the gutters

Synonyms & Similar Words

gutter

3 of 3

verb

as in to found

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 gutter
Noun
Clear gutters and extend downspouts to protect your foundation from water damage. — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 9 Sep. 2026 This includes checking around your property for leaks affecting your gutters, pools, buckets, and other areas where water can collect. — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
There's even a sloping slate roof above the lockers and artificial lead guttering above that. — Caroline Reid, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025 The worry that the flame of horniness will gutter in us with age. — Sarah Thankam Mathews, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for gutter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gutter
  1. vulgar
  2. trough
  3. ditch
  4. found
  5. pornographic
  6. drain
  7. trench
  8. flux
Adjective
  • Despite their pointy protrusions, the sculptures are not spiky enough to leave a mark; and despite their flirtations with touchy subject matter, none of the works—not even the 9/11 ones—are vulgar enough to get Wolfson in hot water.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • But Trump’s obsession with these vulgar memorials to his own vanity is a reminder of the darkness around him, of his hostility to democracy, his loathing of honor, and his disordered mind.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of vulgar
Noun
  • This smear is described mathematically by a wave function which, like a classical wave, has peaks and troughs.
    — Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Trotter’s team had prepped the property with water troughs and alfalfa hay, which drew in the animals.
    — Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of trough
Noun
  • Hundreds of British troops crisscrossed fields with thousands of metres of razor wire and dug a long ditch that was later partially filled with water to act as a moat to keep the Protestant marchers away from the Catholic enclave.
    — Amanda Ferguson Reuters, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Much of the stone used to construct Hadrian’s Wall and its forts and milecastles was recycled over the centuries, but the stone footings largely remain, as do the flanking ditches.
    — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of ditch
Verb
  • Hayley Williams is speaking out days after her ex-husband, Chad Gilbert, the founding guitarist of pop-punk band New Found Glory, died at 45 following a battle with cancer.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Dentsu was founded in 1901 in Tokyo and now has a footprint spanning 120 countries and territories.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of found
Adjective
  • Current Florida law says a school district can review and remove a book after a complaint has been made that a book is pornographic, obscene or isn’t age appropriate.
    — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The teacher admitted to having inappropriate conversations and sending pornographic videos to the former student.
    — Christian Cervantes, AZCentral.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of pornographic
Noun
  • Now federal investigators say criminals turned that everyday habit into a way to steal bank logins and drain accounts.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The air pressure is usually sufficient to clear light debris, and the nozzle straw fits nicely into the drain openings without the risk associated with shop air.
    — John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs And Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of drain
Noun
  • But with campaigns romanticizing the British countryside and a new mini exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum honoring one of its greatest hallmarks, the trusty trench, Burberry is fully owning its history.
    — Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The shape appears on leather bombers, trench hybrids and wool coats.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of trench
Verb
  • Then he was put on waivers by the Utah Mammoth in September and dealt to Edmonton in December, his career still flux.
    — Joe Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
  • The technology uses the slag to combine it with fluxing agents.
    — Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Definition of flux

Browse Nearby Words

gutted it out
gutter
guttered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gutter. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All