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
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of moat
Wade and Union married in an over-the-top ceremony Aug. 30, 2014 at the Chateau Artisan, a castle in Homestead surrounded by a moat.
—
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
These applications can create competitive moats and generate measurable ROI.
—Craig Costigan, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The castle is straight out of a fairy tale, complete with a moat and towers and courtyards, and period furniture and artwork.
—Thomas Page McBee, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2025
For breakfast and lunch, there’s Gulf shrimp in a moat of creamy grits and massive triangles of quiche suspending earthy layers of collard greens.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for moat
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
These applications can create competitive moats and generate measurable ROI.
—Craig Costigan, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The castle is straight out of a fairy tale, complete with a moat and towers and courtyards, and period furniture and artwork.
—Thomas Page McBee, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2025
For breakfast and lunch, there’s Gulf shrimp in a moat of creamy grits and massive triangles of quiche suspending earthy layers of collard greens.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for moat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moat
Noun
-
That's how people end up in a ditch.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The device ensnared the Mustang, causing the vehicle to veer off the road into a ditch, according to police.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Tracee Ellis Ross wore her red trench as a dress to a fashion event in September, because why bother wearing anything else with a coat this fabulous?—
Emma Spedding,
Vogue,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The burgundy color is especially ideal for fall and adds a nice pop of color under a neutral trench.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The restoration project tears down old dikes, letting nature reclaim what industry once took.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Park staff partially opened the valve in July after heavy rain caused water levels to overflow the dike, raising erosion concerns.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The work will involve installing a drainage structure, called a box culvert, underneath the highway, as part of plans to build an interchange at Idaho 16 and State, according to the release.—
Rose Evans
November 4,
Idaho Statesman,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The pickup veered off the road, struck a concrete culvert and went airborne before landing in the ditch, according to police.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Is there anything in the wings at the IRS that will provide some guidance as to the taxable or nontaxable (ha-ha) nature of that lump sum?—
Liz Weston,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Not so much ha-ha funny as smart funny, which is probably for the best.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The Rock Creek Loop traverses approximately seven miles of ravines, creeks, subtropical forest, and small footbridges.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Residents who live on private streets and properties without curbs or gutters don’t qualify for a visit from the Claw.—
Sarah Linn
November 5,
Sacbee.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
In these cases, leaves are often required to be piled in the right-of-way rather than street gutter to minimize mess and clogged drains.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Moat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moat. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share