river

noun

Definition of rivernext
1
as in canal
a passageway for water A fallen tree branch was floating down the river.

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2
as in stream
an overwhelming flow or rush of something Jet streams can be thought of as giant rivers of air that circulate around the globe. He was overwhelmed by the river of new information that the document dump provided.

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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 river In the Dreamtime, the Waugyl (Rainbow Serpent) moved across the earth, carving out rivers and mountains—not a god, just how our culture explains creation, without religion as it’s commonly understood. — Liam Freeman, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2026 Rajiv had pointed out the different colors of the water, the mood of the two rivers, one almost resisting merging with the other. — Sonia Gandhi, Vanity Fair, 10 Nov. 2026 It’s supposed to respect natural boundaries like rivers or other landscape features. — ArsTechnica, 10 Nov. 2026 Two people were killed after a car crashed into a river in Taunton, Massachusetts, Monday night. — Digital Producer, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for river
Recent Examples of Synonyms for river
  1. canal
  2. stream
  3. waterway
  4. flood
  5. rivulet
  6. tide
Noun
  • Sites is planned 17 miles west of the river itself, and will draw water through a system of canals and pipes to fill the reservoir.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • To prepare, cities have deployed an arsenal of weapons against the floods, including sandbags, water pumps, sand berms and drainage canals.
    — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of canal
Noun
  • The secret sauce to Wavves’ strongest material has always been a healthy dose of self-loathing; imagine one of those devilish Calvin-pissing-on-the-ground car decals, with a weary doppelganger as the stream’s target.
    — Larry Fitzmaurice, Pitchfork, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Current state statute does not allow funding of schools or police through LIT, but the report encourages amending state law to allow for a funding stream for them.
    — Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of stream
Noun
  • Late Sunday, 15 waterways across northern Arizona and southwestern Colorado either reached or were forecast to reach major flood stage, triggering evacuations and washing out roads.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026
  • But last Christmas, the designer went out on an impulsive—and what would prove to be fateful—run through Paris along the Seine, the city’s famous central waterway.
    — Max Berlinger, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of waterway
Noun
  • In 1966, the banks of the Arno river burst, causing the most destructive flood Florence had ever experienced.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Others were evacuated from New Mexico's Rio Arriba County, where the Rio Chama was under a flood warning through Tuesday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of flood
Noun
  • The brush was flattened and rivulets of water ran back toward the sound, which was now miraculously some 100 yards away down a sloping bank.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Madly sentient guts spill from the sitter’s back in swollen rivulets.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of rivulet
Noun
  • And as sea level rise pushes tides and groundwater levels higher, soaking up the dry dirt and drainage area Florida was built to rely on, even smaller storms could cause the kind of damage seen last week.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Their marine adaptations must contend with wind, tides, wakes, moving ships, and dockside cranes.
    — Harry T Angell, Oc Register, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of tide

Phrases Containing river

Browse Nearby Words

riven
river
riverbank
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Cite this Entry

“River.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/river. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on river

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about river

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