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
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Recent Examples of headwater
In recent years, high-elevation residents have been detected near Donner Lake and the headwaters of the American River's north fork.
—
Brandon Downs, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
That snowpack forms the headwaters of rivers including the Colorado, the Rio Grande, and the Arkansas.
—Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
The headwaters of the mighty Colorado River start in clear, cold mountain streams fed by snowmelt from jagged Rocky Mountain peaks.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 13 Feb. 2026
Because of the mine’s location — at the headwaters of the BWCA — any potential pollution or acid mine drainage would likely flow into the wilderness area, Voyageurs National Park, and Canada’s Quetico Provincial Park.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for headwater
Brandon Downs, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
That snowpack forms the headwaters of rivers including the Colorado, the Rio Grande, and the Arkansas.
—Rebecca Boyle, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
The headwaters of the mighty Colorado River start in clear, cold mountain streams fed by snowmelt from jagged Rocky Mountain peaks.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 13 Feb. 2026
Because of the mine’s location — at the headwaters of the BWCA — any potential pollution or acid mine drainage would likely flow into the wilderness area, Voyageurs National Park, and Canada’s Quetico Provincial Park.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for headwater
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwater
Noun
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And in Colorado, all 13 of the state’s Gold Medal trout streams are fed by tributaries flowing from roadless areas.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The water would be dumped into the Niespodziany Ditch, a tributary of the Kankakee.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Polls suggest that most people want owners to pay for their own stadiums, but sports teams are desired and beloved, a source not only of entertainment but also of civic pride.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Online personalities a source of division Though widely regarded at the conference as separate from Republicans, the conservative movement is predominantly united, Plano resident Bruce Dunn said.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwater. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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