moat

noun

Definition of moatnext
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 Many major capacity decisions in recent years have been visible governance events answering a specific pressure moat erosion signal. — Kerry Huang, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 While competitors such as Thermo Fisher Scientific and Sartorius are investing heavily to gain share, Danaher's position is protected by one of the strongest moats in healthcare tools. — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 16 July 2026 Located on Lake Geneva and surrounded by a natural moat, the Swiss castle fits its island’s oval shape. — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026 The multi-billion-dollar market capitalizations of the top five on the list are driven by highly defensible business models, massive capital moats (as analysts describe them), and structural advantages within the freight sector. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for moat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moat
  1. ditch
  2. trench
  3. dike
  4. culvert
  5. ha-ha
  6. ravine
  7. gutter
Noun
  • In August 1950 the area that came to be known as the Gaza Strip was cut off from the rest of Palestine by a ditch carved into the soil by a single-blade plough pulled by a tractor.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • Some propose walls and ditches to keep people from migrating.
    — Cristina Dorador, The Dial, 14 July 2026
Definition of ditch
Noun
  • French authorities wanted to honor the ‘’blood spilled″ during WWI by Muslim soldiers who died in trenches of Verdun and beyond to defend France, Hafiz said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
  • The four-floor flagship is currently under restoration, with the building wrapped in hoarding featuring Burberry’s signature trench.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 17 July 2026
Definition of trench
Noun
  • The company says the W-01 responds to risks from tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, marine submersion and dike or dam failures.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2026
  • As the the dikes reached the seafloor, lava erupted onto the ocean floor, while continuing to drain the magma reservoir, causing the seafloor to collapse further, the researchers told ScienceAlert.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026
Definition of dike
Noun
  • Assessing a culvert takes time.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
  • The funding will also help pay for the replacement of a large drainage culvert near Sierra College Boulevard on English Colony Way at Clover Valley Creek, along with the construction of a new bridge and roadway improvements on Garden Bar Road at Doty Ravine.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026
Definition of culvert
Noun
  • 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
  • Workers repairing a ha-ha, a ditch traditionally used to contain livestock without interrupting the view across an estate, uncovered a tunnel entrance, along with Tudor-era artifacts including pottery, bones, and glass bottles.
    — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 15 June 2026
Definition of ha-ha
Noun
  • Drive had attacked something in that brushy ravine — or something had attacked him.
    — Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 15 July 2026
  • The three-bedroom house is situated on a private lot overlooking a ravine and surrounded by rows of lush hedges.
    — India Roby, Architectural Digest, 15 July 2026
Definition of ravine
Noun
  • Rain barrel water, for example, is collected from rooftops and gutters where bird droppings and other contaminants may be present.
    — Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026
  • Other work includes upgrading traffic signals, improving sidewalks, curbs and gutters, adding new pavement markings and signs, and making utility adjustments.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of gutter

Browse Nearby Words

moans
moat
moats
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Moat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moat. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on moat

Nglish: Translation of moat for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about moat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of maverick

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

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

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All