as in rinsing
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
Relevance
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 irrigating
Make sure plants are well watered going into fall and winter, and check soil moisture regularly over winter, irrigating as needed to maintain moist, but not wet, soil.
—
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 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
As images reach us in fragments, sound weaves a continuity from off-screen to on-screen, carrying the emotion through the film and irrigating the streams of images, like water flowing.
—Cátia Rodrigues, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
Thirsty data That Lake Mead’s worth of water that has disappeared from beneath the lower Colorado basin has gone largely to irrigating alfalfa and other food for cows, much of which is exported.
—Mark Gongloff, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
That Lake Mead’s worth of water that has disappeared from beneath the lower Colorado basin has gone largely to irrigating alfalfa and other food for cows, much of which is exported.
—Mark Gongloff, Denver Post, 12 Aug. 2025
It’s been around since people have existed and has been used for cultural practices, capturing drinking water and irrigating crops.
—La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 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
As images reach us in fragments, sound weaves a continuity from off-screen to on-screen, carrying the emotion through the film and irrigating the streams of images, like water flowing.
—Cátia Rodrigues, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
Thirsty data That Lake Mead’s worth of water that has disappeared from beneath the lower Colorado basin has gone largely to irrigating alfalfa and other food for cows, much of which is exported.
—Mark Gongloff, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
That Lake Mead’s worth of water that has disappeared from beneath the lower Colorado basin has gone largely to irrigating alfalfa and other food for cows, much of which is exported.
—Mark Gongloff, Denver Post, 12 Aug. 2025
It’s been around since people have existed and has been used for cultural practices, capturing drinking water and irrigating crops.
—La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irrigating
Verb
-
This is the reason many food safety experts agree that rinsing raw fish and meats isn’t a good idea.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Others scrub into the grout and need rinsing immediately.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Though compact, it's equipped with storage space, a vanity sink, a flushing toilet, and a shower/bath, which is always a nice bonus in a tiny house.—
Adam Williams
March 10,
New Atlas,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The buildings were reopened after mitigation efforts, including flushing and chlorination, and testing was carried out, according to city leaders.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
An employee shifted from cleaning floors to handling a container of food without washing hands.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
-
To save them, remove the mold by washing them thoroughly with water to remove surface fungi, then spray them with a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide (1 part hydrogen peroxide to 2 parts water).—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irrigating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irrigating. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
