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

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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 JPMorgan initiates Moog as overweight JPMorgan said the aerospace company has a wide moat. — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 20 July 2026 The result was a complex of squat, one- or two-level buildings with metal and glass siding, surrounded by a moat of parking spaces, with Google signs plunked into the dirt out front. — Claire Stapleton, New Yorker, 18 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
  • Body-camera footage later showed the deputy calling Parker over before shooting him, waiting several minutes, shooting him again, and leaving his body in a ditch.
    — Vanessa Shakib, Oc Register, 23 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of ditch
Noun
  • The modest trench that once plagued the Galaxy Z Fold series' inner display is virtually gone.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 23 July 2026
  • Crews have welded in new steel pipe, tested for leaks and begun preparing the 25-foot-deep trench for backfilling, concrete slurry, asphalt and water-quality checks before traffic can return.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 21 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
  • The Accord apparently left the road and struck a culvert, with the driver suffering non-life-threatening injuries and another passenger uninjured.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 21 July 2026
  • Stormwater regulations got stronger, sewer line, bridge and culvert improvements were made, green initiatives sprouted up and flood forecasting and emergency responses got an overhaul.
    — Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 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
  • Both vehicles went into a nearby ravine and the tree line, a police report said.
    — Emily Harter, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
  • On the steel side, Phantom’s Revenge turns 25, still dropping riders 232 feet into the ravine at speeds around 85 mph and earning national attention as a USA TODAY 10Best‑nominated coaster.
    — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 22 July 2026
Definition of ravine
Noun
  • These fiery particles seek out the smallest vulnerabilities, lodging in gutters, slipping through attic vents or settling into dry debris near your home.
    — Neil Collins, Washington Post, 24 July 2026
  • Start by making sure your gutters and downspouts are clean and directing water away from your home’s foundation.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 19 July 2026
Definition of gutter

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moat
moats
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Cite this Entry

“Moat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moat. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on moat

Nglish: Translation of moat for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about moat

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