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
The conservation easement secures the land’s upland forests, 26 acres of wetlands, and Naugatuck River headwaters.
—
Shelley Harms, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2025
Located in a very secluded, quiet corner of Texas Hill Country, Lost Maples State Natural Area, spanning nearly 3,000 acres, contains the headwaters of the Sabinal River and trails that lead up to views of undisturbed rolling hills.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2025
Through a series of 31 interactive exhibits, visitors journey down the Fraser River to the headwaters of the Upper Colorado River Basin, where water is diverted across the Continental Divide into metro Denver.
—Gigi Ragland, The Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2025
It is often referred to as the headwaters of California because its lakes and aquifers help provide clean drinking water to the rest of the state.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for headwater
Shelley Harms, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2025
Located in a very secluded, quiet corner of Texas Hill Country, Lost Maples State Natural Area, spanning nearly 3,000 acres, contains the headwaters of the Sabinal River and trails that lead up to views of undisturbed rolling hills.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2025
Through a series of 31 interactive exhibits, visitors journey down the Fraser River to the headwaters of the Upper Colorado River Basin, where water is diverted across the Continental Divide into metro Denver.
—Gigi Ragland, The Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2025
It is often referred to as the headwaters of California because its lakes and aquifers help provide clean drinking water to the rest of the state.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for headwater
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwater
Noun
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In the vast network of rivers and tributaries that make up the Pearl River Basin in southern China, the water is naturally filtered by living creatures.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2025
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Grimes Creek is a tributary of Mores Creek, which is a tributary of the Boise River.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Tesla's lower-cost Model Y: US launch pushed back as sources reveal production challengesNeed a break?—
Mike Scarcella,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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An escalating trade war between the U.S. and China, the world’s two largest economies, has been a major source of concern for the maritime and transport sector.—
Jenni Reid,Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Headwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwater. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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