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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of sediment
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
R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Common contaminants these systems address include sediment (dirt, sand, rust, silt), chlorine and chloramines, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides and herbicides, heavy metals (lead, mercury, copper), bacteria and unpleasant taste or odors.
—Ryan Brennan
may 26, Miami Herald, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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
Since then, sediment and decaying organic matter have built up at the bottom of the lake, dropping the average water depth to less than 2½ feet, according to a city staff report about the project.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Common contaminants these systems address include sediment (dirt, sand, rust, silt), chlorine and chloramines, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides and herbicides, heavy metals (lead, mercury, copper), bacteria and unpleasant taste or odors.
—Ryan Brennan
may 26, Miami Herald, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sediment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sediment
Verb
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German and Czech immigrants who settled in Central Texas during the 1800s introduced meat-smoking and butcher shop traditions that later became foundational to what many now recognize as classic Texas barbecue, according to the Texas Historical Association.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Eventually, the group settled in Fouke, a tiny town near the Arkansas-Texas border, setting up a church and buying up homes.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Common contaminants these systems address include sediment (dirt, sand, rust, silt), chlorine and chloramines, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides and herbicides, heavy metals (lead, mercury, copper), bacteria and unpleasant taste or odors.—
Ryan Brennan
May 26,
Miami Herald,
26 May 2026
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This soil type combines sand, silt, clay, and organic matter, offering the best qualities of each.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
25 May 2026
Verb
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There it is filtered and purified before being fed into the Reflecting Pool.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
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Early research shows that filtering out content related to making biological weapons from AI training data can reduce how often the model responds with information that could be used for harm.—
Huo Jingnan,
NPR,
31 May 2026
Noun
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Dali owner, operators' defense During pretrial proceedings, several crew members aboard the cargo ship Dali at the time of the collapse invoked their Fifth Amendment rights during depositions.—
Drew Aunkst,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
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Democrats have said her failure to appear for that deposition constituted noncompliance with the subpoena.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Fidelity Investments Learn More Minimum deposit and balance Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
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The findings suggest Mercury's ice was deposited rapidly rather than supplied gradually over long periods of time — a scenario that also helps explain the apparent purity of the ice deposits, the study notes.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
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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
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One such innovative solution is to utilize the natural ability of microbes to precipitate minerals.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sediment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sediment. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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