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 At the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Osprey Fountains features a lazy river, resort-style pool and sports courts. — Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 The plan sets limits on how the river would be operated, and envisages water shortages of up to 3 million acre-feet per year in the three Lower Basin states. — Reuters, NBC news, 31 July 2026 Crystal tells him Anna escaped, jumping into the river hours earlier. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026 The 120 guests will be cared for by 54 crew members, resulting in what the studio says is one of the highest crew-to-guest ratios on any river cruise ship. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 31 July 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
  • The agency’s testing identified cyclospora in two samples taken from a canal that the farm used for irrigation.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • The Ada County Coroner’s Office has identified the man killed in a police shooting Thursday near a canal and gas station at the South Cloverdale and West Overland roads intersection in Boise.
    — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 24 July 2026
Definition of canal
Noun
  • Fund flows point to a steady stream of investors abandoning some of the trades.
    — Geoffrey Morgan, Fortune, 25 July 2026
  • Saturday morning, MrBeast departed from his usual stream to drop a new piece of content with a philanthropic focus and featuring a surprise appearance from superstar LeBron James.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2026
Definition of stream
Noun
  • Environmental groups estimate, using methods developed by the EPA, that unregulated businesses have been responsible for 30% to 60% of copper and zinc found in waterways, which at high concentrations are toxic to fish and other animals.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • Eighty percent of China’s oil imports arrive through the Strait of Malacca, a narrow waterway that could be cut off in the event of a conflict over Taiwan.
    — Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026
Definition of waterway
Noun
  • Nor have complex land improvements like drainage or irrigation or flood control developed in a system imagined by private-sector maximalist author Ayn Rand.
    — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 26 July 2026
  • As the climate warms due in large part to the burning of fossil fuels, research shows that heat waves, droughts, hurricanes, and floods have become more intense and more frequent.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 26 July 2026
Definition of flood
Noun
  • Madly sentient guts spill from the sitter’s back in swollen rivulets.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026
  • Our beach quickly turned into a morass of clay, cut through by dozens of fast-flowing rivulets.
    — John Todd, Outdoor Life, 9 July 2026
Definition of rivulet
Noun
  • Officials have also reviewed currents, tides, wind conditions and possible drift patterns, and checked local beaches, bays, inlets and other coastal areas.
    — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 30 July 2026
  • The project, whose other backers include the Patel Family Office and Saudi’s AHQ Group, is part of a larger tide of capital flowing into Gulf oil infrastructure.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 July 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 2 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on river

Nglish: Translation of river for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about river

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