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
These burn areas create barriers around villages, headwaters and sensitive sites, protecting them from wildfires during peak drought.
—
ABC News, 7 June 2026
The Cassai Life Atlas discoveries build on a decade's worth of surveys led by the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project within the Okavango and Lungwevungu headwaters, which uncovered a combined total of over 70 species confirmed new to science, according to The Wilderness Project.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
The headwaters of the Yadkin River were not located in the area of heaviest rainfall and the threat for flooding has ended there.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 27 May 2026
Last month, Congress used the CRA to remove protections against mining for roughly 225,000 acres at the headwaters of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
—Scott Braden, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
From its headwaters high in the Oakland Hills throught the city's Fruitvale District to where the waters eventually empty into the Oakland Estuary and San Francisco Bay, Sausal Creek is a historic treasure.
—Molly McCrea, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Outdoor enthusiasts can explore miles of scenic trails at Lake Bemidji State Park, fish in pristine waters, or wade through the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Itasca State Park (40 miles southwest).
—Katy Spratte Joyce, Midwest Living, 7 May 2026
Already primed for catastrophe, townspeople’s discovery that developers had quietly targeted Acton for multiple battery projects stoked fears of industrial blight, fire and contamination of residential water wells and the nearby headwaters of Southern California’s last free-flowing river.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Now, Hall and Hall is marketing the 1,500-acre Spring Creek Ranch, a marquee holding at the headwaters of the renowned Fall River.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 7 June 2026
The Cassai Life Atlas discoveries build on a decade's worth of surveys led by the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project within the Okavango and Lungwevungu headwaters, which uncovered a combined total of over 70 species confirmed new to science, according to The Wilderness Project.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
The headwaters of the Yadkin River were not located in the area of heaviest rainfall and the threat for flooding has ended there.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 27 May 2026
Last month, Congress used the CRA to remove protections against mining for roughly 225,000 acres at the headwaters of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
—Scott Braden, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
From its headwaters high in the Oakland Hills throught the city's Fruitvale District to where the waters eventually empty into the Oakland Estuary and San Francisco Bay, Sausal Creek is a historic treasure.
—Molly McCrea, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Outdoor enthusiasts can explore miles of scenic trails at Lake Bemidji State Park, fish in pristine waters, or wade through the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Itasca State Park (40 miles southwest).
—Katy Spratte Joyce, Midwest Living, 7 May 2026
Already primed for catastrophe, townspeople’s discovery that developers had quietly targeted Acton for multiple battery projects stoked fears of industrial blight, fire and contamination of residential water wells and the nearby headwaters of Southern California’s last free-flowing river.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Now, Hall and Hall is marketing the 1,500-acre Spring Creek Ranch, a marquee holding at the headwaters of the renowned Fall River.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwaters
Noun
-
That compact was adopted in 1943 by Colorado, the headwaters of the Republican and several tributaries, and Nebraska and Kansas, the two down-river states.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
-
The water, too, was wild—the Allegheny and its tributaries had yet to be dammed, and Flag Swamp was noted as one of the last hideouts for beavers in the state.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
The decision was made due to logistical challenges and in hopes of avoiding delays that might derail the negotiation process, one source said.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Renner also grilled election officials about whether or not post office officials had backdated postmarks on mail ballots sent after election day so they could still be counted, the source said.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headwaters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwaters. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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