Definition of irrigatenext
as in to rinse
to pour liquid over or through in order to cleanse if you get the chemical in your eye, irrigate the eye thoroughly with water

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of irrigate Water lawns deeply, allowing the soil to dry slightly before irrigating again. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026 Ideally, farmers would be encouraged – and even paid – to permanently stop irrigating some land. Sarah Porter, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026 Do not mow the lawn immediately after irrigating it and keep vehicles and soccer practice off the lawn until the grass has dried. Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 16 Aug. 2026 In large parts of the Netherlands, farmers are no longer allowed to use water from streams and drainage channels to irrigate fields and orchards. ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for irrigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irrigate
Verb
  • The bestselling cream-like balm melts into a clear, oil-like cleanser when warmed between dry palms, dissolving makeup, sunscreen, and grime before emulsifying with water and rinsing clean.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Torres likes to clean zellige tiles in 2-foot sections at a time, rinsing the microfiber cloth in clean water before moving on to the next section.
    Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • But behind the crisp white tablecloths, strict dress code and expensive steak dinners was a kitchen full of immigrant workers washing dishes, preparing food and keeping the restaurant running.
    Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Now, to the handwashing shortcomings, such as a cashier handling customer’s payment, then preparing drinks and serving plates of food to customers without washing hands (cash and payment cards tend to be germ motherships).
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • This looks quite snug – some compromises have to be made somewhere – and includes a vanity sink, a flushing toilet, and a walk-in shower.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2026
  • But don’t flush the toilet—let your cleaning solution do the hard work for you.
    Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Irrigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irrigate. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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