as in creek
a natural body of running water smaller than a river
the fugitive made use of local runnels to throw the bloodhounds off his scent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 runnel
Water fun will be a big draw, whether observing the natural pond-like runnel feature or the chutes of tumbling water and inch-deep pools safe to play in.
—
Dallas News, 15 Apr. 2022
Designed by Louis Kahn for Jonas Salk, who created the polio vaccine, the complex sits on a shelf above the Pacific, a symmetrical white piazza flanked by buildings that are angled like a theater’s wings and bisected by a narrow runnel.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 15 Mar. 2021
In summer, runoff from cloudbursts etches into the softer limestones and sluices through the deep runnels.
—National Geographic, 19 Aug. 2019
The road ran like a twisty runnel through fuchsia hedges and bright fields of buttercups and cow parsley, up to a pass among the 3,000-foot Slieve Mish mountains.
—New York Times, 12 Aug. 2019
Dallas News, 15 Apr. 2022
Designed by Louis Kahn for Jonas Salk, who created the polio vaccine, the complex sits on a shelf above the Pacific, a symmetrical white piazza flanked by buildings that are angled like a theater’s wings and bisected by a narrow runnel.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 15 Mar. 2021
In summer, runoff from cloudbursts etches into the softer limestones and sluices through the deep runnels.
—National Geographic, 19 Aug. 2019
The road ran like a twisty runnel through fuchsia hedges and bright fields of buttercups and cow parsley, up to a pass among the 3,000-foot Slieve Mish mountains.
—New York Times, 12 Aug. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for runnel
Noun
-
The 40 minute round-trip rolls up the Red Clay Valley, with unobstructed views of moonlit fields, rocky cuts and creek banks.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Instead, show him how to hunt small rivers and creeks, which require minimal gear.—
The Editors,
Outdoor Life,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Michelle turned back, but the other two children went walking along a trail near what is now I-395 and came across a brook.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The property, which features lush greenery and old-growth trees set among babbling brooks and water features, is open to the public, and the gardens have served as a popular spot for weddings over the decades in addition to an annual Mother’s Day tea that Weston said attracts hundreds each year.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Runnel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/runnel. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share