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
Of the first cities to be incorporated in California, Marysville retains its place as the smallest, with about 13,000 people within its borders sealed by a ring of levees that protect the city.
—
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The Santa Venetia neighbors may not be too alarmed at this point, but the county says the levees are a problem now.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
The new space, directly in front of the Trinity River levees and the miles of open space behind them, lends a feeling of fresh air to the ambient surroundings.
—Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 17 Jan. 2026
The money will be used to remove sediment and repair levees, along with continued geotechnical analyses, environmental coordination, hydrology updates, hydraulic analysis, and to monitor water quality and the health of plants and animals.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Like a ball passing through the barriers of a pinball machine, the water flows among the components as directed by 2,200 miles of canals, 2,100 miles of levees and berms, 84 pump stations and 778 water control structures.
—Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
January is breeding season for the invasive snakes in Florida, and the species is known to congregate in breeding balls on elevated levees and tree islands.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
Now, though levees may not exactly be back, royal affectations and the disputes that go with them are.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
The idea was to reconnect the community to the river after it was cut off when the earthen levees were built following the 1949 flood.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Jan. 2026
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 5 Feb. 2026
The Santa Venetia neighbors may not be too alarmed at this point, but the county says the levees are a problem now.
—John Ramos, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
The new space, directly in front of the Trinity River levees and the miles of open space behind them, lends a feeling of fresh air to the ambient surroundings.
—Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 17 Jan. 2026
The money will be used to remove sediment and repair levees, along with continued geotechnical analyses, environmental coordination, hydrology updates, hydraulic analysis, and to monitor water quality and the health of plants and animals.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Like a ball passing through the barriers of a pinball machine, the water flows among the components as directed by 2,200 miles of canals, 2,100 miles of levees and berms, 84 pump stations and 778 water control structures.
—Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
January is breeding season for the invasive snakes in Florida, and the species is known to congregate in breeding balls on elevated levees and tree islands.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
Now, though levees may not exactly be back, royal affectations and the disputes that go with them are.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
The idea was to reconnect the community to the river after it was cut off when the earthen levees were built following the 1949 flood.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for levees
Noun
-
The construction of the first dams on the Columbia River, including the Grand Coulee and Bonneville in the 1930s, provided jobs during the Great Depression as well as hydropower and navigation.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The dams for which changes are being sought are the Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite on the Snake River, and the Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day and McNary on the Columbia.—
Claire Rush,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The infrastructure humans build in the water ‒ houses, piers, wharves, jetties, and even oil rigs ‒ create new habitats for juvenile jellyfish, called polyps, to attach and grow, Bologna said.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
24 Aug. 2025
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Maybe wind your way around the neighborhood’s old wharfs and small brick houses; or lock up your bike and check out an exhibition at the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, then grab lunch at the kitschy crab shack Brooklyn Crab.—
Francesca Carington,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Jan. 2024
Noun
-
But the flooding would be less powerful than at the old site, Wing said, and its impact could be lessened by elevating the hospital or building earthen embankments.—
Brett Kelman,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Cars were also forced off the road and shoved into embankments.—
Kathryn Prociv,
NBC news,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Given the lack of mangroves, snook in South Florida make do with boat docks, which provide protection from predators as well as sites from which to ambush smaller fish and crustaceans.—
Steve Waters,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
-
This building will add truck docks and overhead doors to accommodate many industrial tenants.—
Cathy Kozlowicz,
jsonline.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Stay off of jetties, piers, rocks, and other waterside infrastructure.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Stay off of jetties, piers, rocks, and other waterside infrastructure.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
29 Jan. 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 11 Feb. 2026.
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