sediment 1 of 2

as in to settle
to cause to come to rest at the bottom (as of a liquid) the water flowing into the reservoir is sedimenting silt faster than was originally expected

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sediment

2 of 2

noun

as in silt
matter that settles to the bottom of a body of liquid the sediment at the bottom of the river needs to be routinely dredged so that it doesn't interfere with barge traffic

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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 sediment
Verb
The exploration data collected to-date indicates that previous historical open pit heap leaching operations did not advance their plans to develop attractive, wide, shallow gold-silver mineralization hosted in major structural zones in the Bisbee Group sediments west of the Contention Pit. Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024 The team observed the octopuses launch objects and sediment several body lengths away. Corryn Wetzel, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Sep. 2021
Noun
Ranging from 40 to 50 meters (about 130 to 165 feet) in depth, the ecosystem was undisturbed by the shoreline’s constant waves shifting around sediments, and sunlight was still able to reach photosynthesizing plants on the seafloor that could provide oxygen. Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 24 July 2025 Stalagmites, on the other hand, grow from the ground up when sediment drips onto the ground, piling up over time. Ruby Grisin, The Courier-Journal, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for sediment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sediment
Verb
  • All of these should be allowed to settle almost to the bottom before the retrieve is begun.
    Anthony A. Ciuffa, Outdoor Life, 7 Aug. 2025
  • While the pair have been settled in Los Angeles together for years now, Jonathan opened up to PEOPLE about the possibility of relocating out to the country.
    Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Healthy soils are composed of a mixture of sand, silt, clay, and organic matter, which provide nutrients to plants and help water drain properly.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Aug. 2025
  • When similar deep drawdowns occurred at Green Peter and Lookout Point dams in the Willamette Valley, downstream rivers turned brown, and silt challenged the drinking water plants serving towns such as Albany and Lebanon.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 July 2025
Verb
  • The remaining trains will filter in over the next two years.
    Laurie Werner, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Advertisement Hawley worked from a similar playbook with Legion, whose apparently schizophrenic superhero filtered a fast-evolving cultural conversation around mental illness through a psychedelic kaleidoscope, and especially Fargo.
    Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The new manslaughter charge comes after the Herald in recent months reported on conflicting accounts about Pino being under the influence that emerged in law enforcement officers’ depositions.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2025
  • Trade partners say that’s way off the mark Murdoch to provide Trump health updates in deal to delay Epstein case deposition View More Trump has previously announced steep tariffs on countries or specific sectors, only to scale them back, tweak them or pause them days or weeks later.
    Kevin Breuninger,Eamon Javers, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • What to look for in a savings account Minimum balance requirements: Check if there's a minimum deposit to open the account or to maintain daily to avoid fees.
    Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Next, make an initial deposit with a secure payment method, like a credit card.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • When atmospheric rivers are pushed upward, the water vapor cools, condenses and precipitates.
    Amy Graff, New York Times, 3 May 2025
  • While the faithful typically congregate in St. Peter's Square daily during the conclave, the public signal that a pontiff has been chosen precipitates a surge of observers rushing to be among the first to see the new pope in person.
    Christopher Watson, ABC News, 8 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sediment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sediment. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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