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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irrigate
To prep evergreens for winter, irrigate them with 1 to 2 inches of water weekly until the ground freezes.
—
Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Jan. 2026
Under the agreement, Riverview will stop irrigating 2,000 acres of crops in phases within 12 years.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
The country is facing a massive food shortage because the government is spraying a corporate sports drink instead of water to irrigate the nation’s farms.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Do not irrigate if there is snow cover over the lawn.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irrigate
Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Jan. 2026
Under the agreement, Riverview will stop irrigating 2,000 acres of crops in phases within 12 years.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
The country is facing a massive food shortage because the government is spraying a corporate sports drink instead of water to irrigate the nation’s farms.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Do not irrigate if there is snow cover over the lawn.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irrigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irrigate
Verb
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After, rinse the mat thoroughly and leave to air dry.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
7 Feb. 2026
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Finish the process by rinsing the board with hot water to clean the materials off, then allow it to air dry.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The pollutants diminished over time — absorbed into the landscape and washed into waterways.—
Rachel Becker,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
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Francis says to wash your vase thoroughly with mild soapy water before adding the stems, and fill it 3/4 of the way full with lukewarm water.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Every time the topic arose, her school friends in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, flushed with embarrassment, Omer recalled.—
Sana Noor Haq,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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This looks very compact, but does contain a vanity sink, a shower, and a flushing toilet.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irrigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irrigate. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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