SEDIMENT Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

sediment 1 of 2

verb

ˈse-də-ˌment

Definition of sediment

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sediment

2 of 2

noun

ˈse-də-mənt

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

Synonyms & Similar 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 sediment

Verb

It’s really sedimented and entangled. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 10 June 2026 The team observed the octopuses launch objects and sediment several body lengths away. — Corryn Wetzel, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Sep. 2021

Noun

Thick brown and gray mud coated the surfaces of school benches, walls and notebooks while the school’s courtyard was filled with sediment. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 Permafrost on the mountains, the continuously frozen soil and sediment, is now changing, said Byers. — Ava Berger, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sediment

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sediment

Verb

The tropical cyclone reached Category 5, defined by sustained winds of 157 mph or greater, overnight Friday before losing some of its steam and settling into Category 4’s limits of sustained winds of 130 to 156 mph by Saturday.

— Dennis Romero, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
Our offensive weapons give Kyler a perfect runway to land the plane, finally settling into an environment that can nurture his skill set and get a payday in a prove-it year.

— Adam Coleman, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of settle

Noun

Its bottom is lined with soft, soupy silt that makes traditional bridge pillars impossible.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
What survivors have said At least 279 hydropower workers have been rescued or managed to trudge their way out of the mud and silt riddled tunnels.

— Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of silt

Verb

About 50 people filtered into the Perez Architecture Center for the event, many holding plates of danishes and boxes of Royal Dansk Danish butter cookies laid on tables by the entrance.

— Zoey Thomas, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
The book is largely plotless with little characterization beyond what the speakers reveal in their monologues, which are mostly filtered through Faye’s narrative rather than presented as dialogue.

— René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of filter

Noun

Thermoelectric Quartz Crystal Microbalance sensors detected less deposition near the thruster than conservative preflight models predicted.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026
The trial is expected to last around four weeks and will include a video deposition of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

— MIKELLA SCHUETTLER, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of deposition

Noun

Ganiyu received about $671,438 from citizenship applicants through Zelle and Cash App, along with $287,830 in cash deposits that prosecutors say were meant to conceal the money’s source, according to court documents, the New York Post reported.

— Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Median deposit balances for betting households in 2026 sat at just 59% of non-betting households.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of deposit

Noun

Acid can be used to leach elements like calcium out, then a chemical or energetic process precipitates that calcium as calcium hydroxide.

— Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
One such innovative solution is to utilize the natural ability of microbes to precipitate minerals.

— Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 31 Mar. 2026

Definition of precipitate

Browse Nearby Words

sedentary

sediment

sedimented

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“Sediment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sediment. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of sediment

verb

noun

Example Sentences

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