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
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
The good news, at least for the broader Colorado River and its headwaters in the Rockies, is that there are months to go before the book on Water Year 2026 snowfall and snowmelt closes in July.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 7 Mar. 2026
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
Previous spills in Flint River The headwaters of the Flint River, which flows south all the way to Florida, begin from seepage around the area of the Atlanta airport, meaning any contaminants from that area can reach the river more easily.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
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
The good news, at least for the broader Colorado River and its headwaters in the Rockies, is that there are months to go before the book on Water Year 2026 snowfall and snowmelt closes in July.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 7 Mar. 2026
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
Previous spills in Flint River The headwaters of the Flint River, which flows south all the way to Florida, begin from seepage around the area of the Atlanta airport, meaning any contaminants from that area can reach the river more easily.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwaters
Noun
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The water would be dumped into the Niespodziany Ditch, a tributary of the Kankakee.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
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For starters, Roger Hurlbut said, the tributary is a shallow ditch for stormwater runoff.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Academically, no; the call for honest and accurate citation of one’s sources will, and must, ring out as forcefully as ever.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
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The Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center says the animals have played an integral role in the state's history and ecology and served as a staple food source for people living in the region as far back as the Paleo-Indian period.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headwaters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwaters. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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