sediment 1 of 2

verb

ˈse-də-ˌment How to pronounce sediment (audio)
Definition of sedimentnext
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

sediment

2 of 2

noun

ˈse-də-mənt How to pronounce sediment (audio)
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
Smoke and soot sediment were ubiquitous, with soot often piling up on cars and windowsills. — Rebecca Florsheim, STAT, 17 July 2026 Salvage operations commenced immediately but accomplished little, and the wreck gradually disappeared into the sediment of the Solent. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sediment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sediment
  1. settle
  2. silt
  3. filter
  4. deposition
  5. deposit
  6. precipitate
Verb
  • The Warriors settled on acquiring Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks for Kuminga and Buddy Hield.
    — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • Instead, the battle for the other three jerseys — polka dot, white, and green — has animated this race, with the trio finally and only settled on stage 20.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of settle
Noun
  • The water drew back from the house, left a thick, stinking silt across the floor.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • The valley floor is silt and loess left by the ice-age Missoula Floods, the glacial-lake megafloods that repeatedly drowned the region.
    — Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of silt
Verb
  • Once filtered, add the coriander; just add 1 tsp cracked coriander seeds to the finished cocktail, and let infuse for about 15 ti 30 minutes before straining out.
    — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 25 July 2026
  • Firefighting teams were being reinforced with the addition of hundreds of soldiers and breathing masks to filter out potentially noxious smoke particles were being rushed to those exposed, Lecornu said.
    — Mark Carlson, Fortune, 25 July 2026
Definition of filter
Noun
  • Agitation tied to pain The male resident's medical records at The Vero said he was diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimer's disease, agitation, and anxiety, according to his doctor's deposition.
    — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026
  • But there have been different shadings in the account presented in her 1999 memoir about the case and in her 2025 deposition testimony in the civil suit.
    — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 17 July 2026
Definition of deposition
Noun
  • Georgia’s Okefenokee, meanwhile, sits in the subtropical climate band, where peat deposits are more scarce — and where most that do remain have been altered by humans.
    — Drew Kann, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
  • The Jadar deposit in western Serbia, for instance, ranks among the most significant in the world, estimated to be capable of meeting as much as 90% of Europe's current lithium needs.
    — Ilan Berman, Forbes.com, 20 July 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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Cite this Entry

“Sediment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sediment. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sediment

Nglish: Translation of sediment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sediment

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