as in bays
an area of sea water that is separated from the ocean by a reef or sandbar
Beyond the beach there was a picturesque blue lagoon.
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Recent Examples of lagoons
Each of those projects was similar to the work needed at Buena Vista and included the side benefit of using the sand taken from the lagoons to widen nearby eroded beaches.
—
Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
There are smaller ocean islands, too, ringed by soft, golden shores and graced with sparkling lagoons and top-tier resorts.
—Melanie Van Zyl, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2026
Originally a mix of swamps and lagoons, Albert Park received its name in 1864 to honor Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s consort.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
No colonial power had ever controlled the swamps and savannas of the interior—an alien land of lagoons, glade marshes, prairies, and hardwood thickets.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
Greenland has polar bears, Iceland its famous hot springs lagoons, Sweden is synonymous with saunas, and another renowned winter fun destination is Finland’s extremely snowy Lapland.
—Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
But the lagoons at the mouth of coastal creeks such as Aliso Creek and nearby San Mateo Creek are usually closed off from the sea by sand that builds up.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
The Tofinu took refuge in the lagoons along the Bight of Benin, a core area of the slave trade, venturing forth in canoes with harpoons, javelins, and swords to fight off raiders from powerful nearby kingdoms.
—Laurent Dubois, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
At least 70 whales have perished since the start of the year in the shallow, protected lagoons of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula where the animals have congregated for eons to calf, nurse and breed, said Steven Swartz, a marine scientist who has studied gray whales since 1977.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
There are smaller ocean islands, too, ringed by soft, golden shores and graced with sparkling lagoons and top-tier resorts.
—Melanie Van Zyl, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2026
Originally a mix of swamps and lagoons, Albert Park received its name in 1864 to honor Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s consort.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
No colonial power had ever controlled the swamps and savannas of the interior—an alien land of lagoons, glade marshes, prairies, and hardwood thickets.
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
Greenland has polar bears, Iceland its famous hot springs lagoons, Sweden is synonymous with saunas, and another renowned winter fun destination is Finland’s extremely snowy Lapland.
—Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
But the lagoons at the mouth of coastal creeks such as Aliso Creek and nearby San Mateo Creek are usually closed off from the sea by sand that builds up.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
The Tofinu took refuge in the lagoons along the Bight of Benin, a core area of the slave trade, venturing forth in canoes with harpoons, javelins, and swords to fight off raiders from powerful nearby kingdoms.
—Laurent Dubois, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
At least 70 whales have perished since the start of the year in the shallow, protected lagoons of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula where the animals have congregated for eons to calf, nurse and breed, said Steven Swartz, a marine scientist who has studied gray whales since 1977.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lagoons
Noun
-
And Texas islands, with their shallow bays and seagrass meadows, are home to extensive wildlife.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The next year, discharges from Lake Okeechobee into the coastal estuaries fueled algal blooms that blanketed the bays in cyanobacteria and red tide.—
Michael Adno,
Rolling Stone,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Then, descend to the cathedral-like arched cavern and pass through to reach two secluded coves.—
Madeline Bilis,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Wildflower hot spots are found all over Georgia in diverse habitats — pine and hardwood forests, meadows, wetlands, stream banks, mountain ridges and coves, granite outcrops and others.—
Charles Seabrook,
AJC.com,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Focusing on Alaskan heritage, the voyages would navigate remote fjords and narrow channels inaccessible to large ships.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
With stunning coasts lined with calving glaciers and icy fjords, the very best Alaska cruise itineraries offer travelers the opportunity to be immersed in the culture of Indigenous villages, and spot wildlife like whales, seals, and bald eagles right from their stateroom balcony.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Cows are responsible for many millions of pounds of nitrogen every year, polluting Florida’s springs, rivers and estuaries.—
Harper West,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Its alabaster beaches are perfect for shelling, sunset strolls, or spotting dolphins frolicking in the surf, while nearby mangroves and estuaries teem with even more wildlife.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Locally heavy rain will quickly reduce visibility and result in ponding of water on roadways, standing water in low lying areas, and minor flooding of creeks, streams, and areas of poor drainage.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Linas, a runner, started the Creek Team OC Instagram account after noticing changes on his runs along San Juan and Trabuco creeks, where lush green reeds suddenly turned brown and lifeless.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Located on the shores of Loch Linnhe, one of 31,000 freshwater lochs in Scotland, Fort William sits in the shadow of Ben Nevis, at 4,490 feet the highest peak in Britain.—
Patti Nickell,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Curling is a game of tradition, first played centuries ago on Scottish lochs, where players slide heavy granite rocks down a sheet of ice toward a target.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As electric vehicle makers struggle to remain relevant, a new competitor is about to hit California’s roads.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Three people were killed in as many crashes on Arkansas roads from Monday to Wednesday, according to preliminary police reports.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lagoons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lagoons. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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