Definition of headwaternext
as in tributary
usually headwaters plural the beginning part of a stream the first exploration of the Missouri River from its mouth to its headwaters was made by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the early 1800s

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 headwater The headwaters of the Colorado River are among the nation's driest places. Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026 The report’s map showed the browns and yellows of persisting and developing drought across the entire Upper Colorado River Basin except in the Green River headwaters of Wyoming. Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 20 Mar. 2026 The area includes headwaters for the South Platte River, a source of drinking and agricultural irrigation water. Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026 The northernmost headwaters of the Florida Everglades, Shingle Creek flows from the city into nearby Lake Tohopekaliga, eventually reaching the Everglades. Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for headwater
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwater
Noun
  • Vast stretches of suburban concrete block its natural drainage, and thousands of homes have been built along its winding, sluggish tributaries.
    Dominic Boyer, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Khartoum, a metropolis of 7 million, sits at the confluence of tributaries, a sort of Pittsburgh-on-the-Nile.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The draft footprint itself, including both sides of the Allegheny River, can only hold a little more than a football stadium, the source said, roughly 80,00 to 90,000 people.
    Ricky Sayer, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Ahead of its release, Humberstone sat down with PEOPLE to discuss her source of inspiration.
    Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Headwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwater. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster