Thesaurus results for MOAT

moat

noun

Definition of moat

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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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 Companies that invest in those enduring advantages will find that their moat remains deeper than many newcomers expect. — Srinivas Velamoor, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026 Its towering, mostly unbroken face and narrow swimming pool suggested a rampart and a moat, but behind the concrete exterior, Caland eliminated every door save the guest bathroom. — Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026 An unshakable moat The industrial gas ecosystem is driven by broad secular trends, including the reshoring of manufacturing, advanced semiconductor nodes and carbon capture infrastructure. — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026 Regulation written with significant input from OpenAI and Anthropic, Luria argued, could therefore turn safety rules into a moat around the companies already at the frontier. — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for moat

Recent Examples of Synonyms for moat

Noun

Treat standing water that cannot be eliminated, such as retention ponds or drainage ditches, with a mosquito larvicide.

— Karma Sabbah, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
The tribes also have worked together after rains to orchestrate rescue missions for chi that are trapped in puddles, offshoots and agricultural ditches.

— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of ditch

Noun

Spanning from its practical origins to its present fashionable status, the Burberry trench represents the quintessential British influence on the fashion industry.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
Stone tools, however, showed up in 10 layers of the same trench, suggesting the site was occupied from 190,000 to 70,000 years ago.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of trench

Noun

Chinese Nationalist forces breached the river’s dikes near Huayuankou to slow advancing Japanese troops.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
Like many inland dikes, the barrier in agricultural fields near the small town of Waddinxveen, east of The Hague, is made of peat that needs to be damp to be strong enough to hold back water.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of dike

Noun

Charles Rilli, representing the Sierra Club’s San Diego chapter, and Myriam Mendoza, representing the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, also voiced support for the Saturn Boulevard box culvert project.

— Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Ducking into Maryam Lashkari, Hodjat Salimi and Oscar Tuazon’s interactive sculpture — an enormous cardboard tube lying on its side — feels like entering a culvert or a bomb shelter.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of culvert

Noun

Meanwhile, Roy and Keeley have a very cute episode as a series of funny (well, not funny-ha-ha) things happen on the way to the Chelsea Legends induction ceremony for the former football star.

— Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
Brazilian fandom is a funny thing, both in its complexity — Brazil, as one of its great cultural figures once said, is not for beginners — and in the ha-ha sense.

— Jack Lang, New York Times, 25 June 2026

Definition of ha-ha

Noun

The National Park and World Biosphere Reserve affords nearly 10 miles to hike amid towering ravine walls, flowing streams, and dense forests.

— Jennifer Tzeses, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
Many more were imperiled by muddy water racing through the narrow ravines, sparking frantic rescue missions for dozens.

— Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of ravine

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“Moat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moat. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of moat

noun

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Synonyms of moat

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to moat

The 'Moat' Surrounding Entertainment

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on moat

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

tactile

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

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14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

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Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

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Games & Quizzes