as in tributary
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 headwaters
Enjoy hiking trails with scenic overlooks and opportunities for paddling ⛵ and fishing near the river’s headwaters.
—
Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2025
Ashia Wilson, a member of the Klamath Tribes who lives at the river’s headwaters, said that the week before the paddlers reached the mouth Upper Klamath Lake, the home to the endemic c’waam and koptu fish, is now too toxic to touch.
—Debra Utacia Krol, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
The heaviest rain is expected to occur across the headwaters of Peters Creek and Cache Creek.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
The 2025 runoff season in the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado's headwaters, is shaping up to be the seventh-driest since 1963, when the government built Glen Canyon Dam and formed Lake Powell.
—Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Much of the water near the headwaters, however, is diverted under the Continental Divide to Front Range communities.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 15 Aug. 2025
Melissa Oyler, Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2025
Ashia Wilson, a member of the Klamath Tribes who lives at the river’s headwaters, said that the week before the paddlers reached the mouth Upper Klamath Lake, the home to the endemic c’waam and koptu fish, is now too toxic to touch.
—Debra Utacia Krol, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
The heaviest rain is expected to occur across the headwaters of Peters Creek and Cache Creek.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
The 2025 runoff season in the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado's headwaters, is shaping up to be the seventh-driest since 1963, when the government built Glen Canyon Dam and formed Lake Powell.
—Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Much of the water near the headwaters, however, is diverted under the Continental Divide to Front Range communities.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwaters
Noun
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Boats are still the only way to access remote parts of the river and its tributaries.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
USA Today,
2 Sep. 2025
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For example, the core curriculum, itself, includes at least investment, insurance, tax, estate, and retirement planning, with loads of tributaries.—
Tim Maurer,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Ukrainian and Western governments have accused North Korea of supplying significant amounts of ammunition and troops to support Russia's war, while Kyiv and its NATO backers have identified China as Moscow's prime source of materiel and a vital economic lifeline.—
Leah Sarnoff,
ABC News,
3 Sep. 2025
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Their goal was to find an IP address — the unique identifier assigned to every cell phone and computer — that could reveal the source.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Headwaters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwaters. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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