as in ponds
a large area of water that is surrounded by land
They own a cottage on the lake. the shores of the lake
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Recent Examples of lakes
Strong winds and rough waves on area lakes will create hazardous conditions for small craft.
—
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park is a watery wonder, brimming with 16 lakes, plus on-land trails for hiking or horseback riding.
—Elizabeth Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 2026
As rain inundates rivers and lakes already filled to the brim, flash flooding is possible in areas around the coast, including in Los Angeles.
—Jordan Green, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 6 Jan. 2026
In Russia, celebrants observe the holiday by taking part in the Eastern Orthodox tradition of baptizing themselves in cold lakes.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
Just as with dumps on land, all kinds of waste was being disposed of in rivers, lakes and harbors.
—James Salzman, The Conversation, 5 Jan. 2026
Historically, ice creation begins in earnest in early December and ice remains on the lakes until late May.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 5 Jan. 2026
The more Austinites have expanded the surface area of lakes — by damming up the Colorado River with various degrees of success from 1893 to 1960 — the more moisture was available to evaporate into the air.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 4 Jan. 2026
Tehran, the capital, has also struggled with falling water levels and periodic rationing, while major lakes such as Lake Urmia in the northwest have largely dried up after decades of mismanagement and reduced inflow.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park is a watery wonder, brimming with 16 lakes, plus on-land trails for hiking or horseback riding.
—Elizabeth Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 2026
As rain inundates rivers and lakes already filled to the brim, flash flooding is possible in areas around the coast, including in Los Angeles.
—Jordan Green, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 6 Jan. 2026
In Russia, celebrants observe the holiday by taking part in the Eastern Orthodox tradition of baptizing themselves in cold lakes.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
Just as with dumps on land, all kinds of waste was being disposed of in rivers, lakes and harbors.
—James Salzman, The Conversation, 5 Jan. 2026
Historically, ice creation begins in earnest in early December and ice remains on the lakes until late May.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 5 Jan. 2026
The more Austinites have expanded the surface area of lakes — by damming up the Colorado River with various degrees of success from 1893 to 1960 — the more moisture was available to evaporate into the air.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 4 Jan. 2026
Tehran, the capital, has also struggled with falling water levels and periodic rationing, while major lakes such as Lake Urmia in the northwest have largely dried up after decades of mismanagement and reduced inflow.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lakes
Noun
-
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
Noun
-
What with its rippling mountains, meditative lochs, and misty woodlands, Scotland’s moody atmosphere hits its stride in the cooler seasons.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
12 Oct. 2025
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Donal, a nightclub owner in Chicago obsessed with the blues, has resisted going back to the land of lochs for reasons that will become only somewhat clear over the course of the run time.—
Esther Zuckerman,
IndieWire,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Everglades restoration involves removing as many of these dams as possible without risking flood control, while adding more reservoirs for water storage, all to revive a river of grass that flows once more.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
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During wet winters, dam operators often let water out of reservoirs to make room for future rainfall.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lakes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lakes. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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