1
as in dams
a bank of earth constructed to control water
the raging floodwaters were too much for the levee to handle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in wharves
a structure used by boats and ships for taking on or landing cargo and passengers
we tied the boat up at the levee and started unloading the fish we had caught
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of levees
Been there as communities have tried to tame the mighty waters with levees and embankments, and battled 100-pound invasive fish.
—
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 31 May 2026
Reconnecting rivers, many of which have been restricted by levees, to seasonal floodplains can dramatically improve growth and survival for juvenile salmon and increase their resilience to climate change.
—Eric Palkovacs, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
These are fast disappearing, however, as humans drain them for development, dredge canals in them for the oil and gas industry and construct river levees, depriving them of the sediments that stop them being submerged.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 25 May 2026
The Stillaguamish Tribe has been buying riverfront land in its traditional territory and removing levees to turn farmland into wetland with the hope of restoring Chinook.
—John Ryan, NPR, 3 May 2026
Constructing protective structures such as levees and dikes can help, as can preserving natural landscapes, such as wetlands and estuaries that can act as a natural sponge to absorb floodwaters, in and near the cities, Shao and her colleagues wrote.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
Declines in groundwater levels have in recent years caused household wells to sputter and run dry, streams and wetlands to dry up, and land to sink, damaging canals and levees.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
But farming communities nationwide have been adversely affected by the president's tariff policy, as global trading partners scaled back agricultural purchases like soybeans in retaliation for higher levees.
—Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
California legislators on Tuesday voiced their support for Senate Bill 872 — a bill aimed at reinforcing Delta levees and the State Water Project by directing $300 million annually to the state’s water infrastructure upgrades and repairs.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 17 Mar. 2026
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 31 May 2026
Reconnecting rivers, many of which have been restricted by levees, to seasonal floodplains can dramatically improve growth and survival for juvenile salmon and increase their resilience to climate change.
—Eric Palkovacs, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
These are fast disappearing, however, as humans drain them for development, dredge canals in them for the oil and gas industry and construct river levees, depriving them of the sediments that stop them being submerged.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 25 May 2026
The Stillaguamish Tribe has been buying riverfront land in its traditional territory and removing levees to turn farmland into wetland with the hope of restoring Chinook.
—John Ryan, NPR, 3 May 2026
Constructing protective structures such as levees and dikes can help, as can preserving natural landscapes, such as wetlands and estuaries that can act as a natural sponge to absorb floodwaters, in and near the cities, Shao and her colleagues wrote.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
Declines in groundwater levels have in recent years caused household wells to sputter and run dry, streams and wetlands to dry up, and land to sink, damaging canals and levees.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
But farming communities nationwide have been adversely affected by the president's tariff policy, as global trading partners scaled back agricultural purchases like soybeans in retaliation for higher levees.
—Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
California legislators on Tuesday voiced their support for Senate Bill 872 — a bill aimed at reinforcing Delta levees and the State Water Project by directing $300 million annually to the state’s water infrastructure upgrades and repairs.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for levees
Noun
-
Both warring parties have increasingly launched explosive-laden drones that, in multiple cases, targeted civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, dams, schools, markets, and displacement camps.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
-
Vast dams dot the mountainous landscape, supplying nearby hydropower plants with plentiful water, the gravitational energy of which is harvested for cheap electricity.—
Story
by
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The city’s Lake Austin overlay adds another layer of limitation, regulating how owners can build near the water, including the size, placement and expansion of homes, docks, bulkheads and other shoreline improvements within 1,000 feet of the lake.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Parking lot changes One corner of the building would need to be reconstructed to add shipping docks, and up to 25 delivery trucks are kept on site.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Pedestrian walkways and a reconstructed street grid will connect Foundry Park to the surrounding neighborhoods, and eventually to riverfront parks featuring natural embankments, walkways and a beach.—
Brian J. Rogal,
Chicago Tribune,
9 June 2026
-
Been there as communities have tried to tame the mighty waters with levees and embankments, and battled 100-pound invasive fish.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Its deep covered porch, once sagging, has been rebuilt in fresh timber and set on new brick piers.—
Jonathan Tower,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2026
-
However, several primitive campsites, boat ramps, and fishing piers sprinkled across the area give plenty of access to enjoy the lake at your leisure.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Wine is embedded in the city’s architecture, history and daily life, from grand 18th-century façades to the bustling quays of the Garonne.—
Joanne Shurvell,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
According to Vantor, the image shows the construction of a dry dock and new quays and piers at one of China’s most strategically important bases.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Levees.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/levees. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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