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 But there's still plant life to be found, especially around the Hoanib River, an ephemeral river that only flows on the surface following heavy rain—though water persists underground both in the river and in springs. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026 That drought spanned six years and ended in 1957, with heavy rain that flooded every major river and tributary in Texas. — Lexi Salazar, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 One solution is to pay water users upstream, who draw from the same tributary rivers, to adopt conservation practices that let more water reach the lake. — Silvia Console Battilana, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Dyerville Loop Road begins along the Eel River in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, then rises into the foothills of Humboldt County, California before dropping back down to the river near Fort Seward. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 19 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
  • Much of it flows through the Central Arizona Project, the series of canals that run from the river to the Phoenix and Tucson areas.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Both ships were sitting at anchor near the mouth of the Sulina canal that connects the Black Sea to the Danube River, which has become a crucial shipping export route for Ukraine, Reuters reported.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 15 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
  • The other two organizations focus on protecting waterways and aquatic ecosystems, including the Harpeth River, where Janson lives.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Torrential rain has pushed all three waterways higher for days, spilling them over their banks in northeastern Argentina, southern Paraguay and western Uruguay.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of waterway
Noun
  • The cemetery where her family members are buried is one of eight in the flood zone that will have to be exhumed.
    — Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Paraguay has seen the most evacuations from the recent floods.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 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
  • Moderate flooding is possible on low-lying roads and in back bay communities, particularly where water doesn't fully drain between tides.
    — Grant Gilmore, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Southern California’s fragile coastline is being transformed one storm at a time by record-setting king tides and storm surges.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 21 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 23 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on river

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about river

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