as in ditch
a deep, wide excavation that is usually filled with water and that goes around the walls of a place (such as a castle) to protect it from being attacked
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Recent Examples of moat
Bolstering its technical moat, Greater Bay Technology has filed over 50 patents covering everything from proprietary electrolyte formulas to advanced cell manufacturing.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 15 Apr. 2026
The two competitive moats that software CEOs relied on for decades—the inability to throw money at a problem to catch up, and customer lock-in through switching costs—are both gone, Horowitz argued.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
This control was reflected in the layout of the site, in which workshop areas–identified by furnaces and bronze artifacts—were enclosed by earthen walls and moats, suggesting oversight and protection.
—Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The lawsuit also claims Vertix’s poor work resulted in broken sump pumps, areas of water leakage, a falling pipe, exposed metal ties, peeling paint, faulty caulking, rust, and salt water leaching from the habitat’s upper pool into the moat, among others.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for moat
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 15 Apr. 2026
The two competitive moats that software CEOs relied on for decades—the inability to throw money at a problem to catch up, and customer lock-in through switching costs—are both gone, Horowitz argued.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
This control was reflected in the layout of the site, in which workshop areas–identified by furnaces and bronze artifacts—were enclosed by earthen walls and moats, suggesting oversight and protection.
—Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The lawsuit also claims Vertix’s poor work resulted in broken sump pumps, areas of water leakage, a falling pipe, exposed metal ties, peeling paint, faulty caulking, rust, and salt water leaching from the habitat’s upper pool into the moat, among others.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for moat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moat
Noun
-
If reaching a safe shelter is not possible, either crouch down in your car and cover your head, or leave your vehicle and seek refuge in a low-lying area like a ditch or ravine.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Apr. 2026
-
If reaching a safe shelter is not possible, either crouch down in your car and shield your head, or leave your vehicle and find shelter in a ditch or ravine.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Iranian cinema classics are a hot cinematic commodity these days in the indie trenches.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
1 May 2026
-
Anne Hathaway turns heads in an oversized leopard trench in New York City on April 28.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
The dikes would consist of walls surrounding the city, separating it from the lagoon, Lionello said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Stage one willl improve flow through the creek that runs down the boundary between Midlothian and Crestwood, including a major improvement to the culvert at 143rd Street and Linder Avenue, Buerger said.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
In that crash, the driver lost control of the bus after hitting a driveway culvert off the right side of a rural road.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Great roles and performances, but, ha-ha, Phoenix earned his first Academy Award for Joker in 2020.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
-
But funny ha-ha peculiar, just like the director.—
John Waters,
Vulture,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Why not try and capture an image of the moon during each major phase (excluding the new moon) as the line separating night from day sweeps across the lunar surface throwing ancient craters, ravines and mountain ranges into relief.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
1 May 2026
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Due to the truck’s location by a ravine near the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area, the recovery of the vehicle and body was reportedly delayed, initially stalling identification of the remains.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Fix leaky faucets, clean gutters and remove standing water from sources like birdbaths, plant saucers, and clogged drains that ants can use as a water source.—
Charlotte Maracina,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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Clogged gutters trap water all summer.—
Ryan Brennan
April 30,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moat. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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