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
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Recent Examples of irrigate
In Tazewell County, Illinois, Michael Deppert depends on a natural pool of water beneath the sandy soils of his farm to irrigate the pumpkins, corn, and soybeans growing in his fields.
—
Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026
There's no question about the iconic status of Tegallalang, the flawless and highly photogenic rice terraces curving around hillsides and irrigated by the subak system, which has UNESCO status.
—Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
Gotland is one of the driest places in Sweden, so the hotel also collects all its rainwater to irrigate its crops, fill the natural swimming pool and be used for flushing toilets and showers, using a complex water recycling system.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Kunyu City, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of northwest China, hosts huge sprinklers that are irrigating over 1,317 acres (533 hectares) of winter wheat fields on the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irrigate
Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026
There's no question about the iconic status of Tegallalang, the flawless and highly photogenic rice terraces curving around hillsides and irrigated by the subak system, which has UNESCO status.
—Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
Gotland is one of the driest places in Sweden, so the hotel also collects all its rainwater to irrigate its crops, fill the natural swimming pool and be used for flushing toilets and showers, using a complex water recycling system.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Kunyu City, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of northwest China, hosts huge sprinklers that are irrigating over 1,317 acres (533 hectares) of winter wheat fields on the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irrigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irrigate
Verb
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Mix together 1/3 cup of both vinegar and baking soda in a bowl before pouring down your sink and letting the solution sit for an hour before rinsing with hot water.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
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Use water and soap to lather your hands for at least 20 seconds before rinsing.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The next night after the stabbing, an employee at the gas station, who did not witness the incident, told the Daily News that five men appeared to be living in the weed truck — and had been doing so for about 6 months — and most mornings would offer to wash cars being serviced at nearby auto shops.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
13 May 2026
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Finally, Altmann reminded people to wash their hands well after outdoor activities or cleaning storage areas.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Other amenities include flushing toilets and hot showers, an RV dumping station, a playground, and basketball and volleyball courts.—
Anna Laird Barto,
Travel + Leisure,
13 May 2026
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According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly altered the ship and relied on a flushing pump to supply fuel to two of the Dali’s four generators.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irrigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irrigate. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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