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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Dissimilar Words

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 Temperatures north of the Missouri River are expected to be in the lower 70s, while areas south of the river will be closer to the low 80s. — Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2026 Presented amid fog and flashing lights outside Venice’s Lido Casino, the dystopian collection featured towering thigh-high platform boots resembling waders, an allusion to both the mythical river and the city’s rising waters. — Livia Caligor, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026 The Spanish chronicler Gaspar de Carvajal recorded a 1542 encounter with a group of Indigenous women warriors (whom some later identified as the Icamiabas), comparing them to the Greek Amazon warriors—hence Amazon forest, river, and region. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Oct. 2026 Amnesty International Nigeria director Isa Sanusi said the gunmen used the river to their advantage. — Dyepkazah Shibayan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 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
  • There were no signs that the shark had been feeding regularly during its monthlong stay in the canal, and falling water temperatures could pose additional health risks, officials say.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Musk already has this via Larry, a close business associate who bankrolled the Twitter buy, but writing an eleven-figure check has a funny way of prying open the canal further.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of canal
Noun
  • But residents say the stream of Airbnb guests in and out of their lobby, around their swimming pools and up and down on the overtaxed, malfunctioning elevators has not abated.
    — Linda Robertson Updated October 22, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
  • As the fund’s general partner, the NFL will collect some management fees and carry on the investments, a consistent and bankable income stream that is not shared with players as part of the salary cap.
    — Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of stream
Noun
  • Its main street is lined with shops selling handblown glass and cozy knits, and colorful boats bob along its winding waterways.
    — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Attacks on ships and oil infrastructure in the waterway have produced oil spills visible from space.
    — Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of waterway
Noun
  • Rainfall may total 12 to 20 inches, causing inland flood concerns, as well.
    — Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Areas at highest risk of coastal flooding this week are Orange and San Diego counties, where the National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning that will last through Thursday afternoon.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 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
  • Other tide gauges across Southern California approached record levels, including in La Jolla.
    — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Warm ocean temperatures have expanded the water, making the tides higher than ever in some places.
    — N. Kirkpatrick, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on river

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about river

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