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
Relevance
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
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
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
Mary Jane Gibson, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2026
The recent images also reveal layers of Mars' complex geological past across the region, suggesting Shalbatana Vallis may once have been even deeper before gradually filling in with sediments, ash and other material over time.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 15 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
There’s concern that the amount of water needed to cool Stratos facilities could further drain the Great Salt Lake, intensifying exposure to toxic sediments in the rapidly shrinking watershed.
—Mary Jane Gibson, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2026
The recent images also reveal layers of Mars' complex geological past across the region, suggesting Shalbatana Vallis may once have been even deeper before gradually filling in with sediments, ash and other material over time.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sediment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sediment
Verb
-
Check the facts, ask one clarifying question, and let real information settle your nervous system.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
-
In a social media era rife with mouthwatering food content, kids will no longer settle for a drab school meal.—
Joe Hernandez,
NPR,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Finer clays, silts and coarser sands would all have been deposited by different processes.—
Geoff Emberling,
The Conversation,
19 May 2026
-
Thanks to the cold water temperature, lack of natural light, and the layers of silt covering many of the artifacts, the ship and its contents were in remarkably good condition.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
These are often filtered out and simply dumped as waste.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
24 May 2026
-
However, the lack of filtering, context, and vetting can cause bad information to go viral.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
Its equipment specializes in thin-film deposition, which is the process of coating thin-film (atomic level) layers of chemicals onto a surface, such as a silicon wafer or glass substrate.—
Alan Ohnsman,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Coleman’s deposition, meanwhile, sheds new light on the investigation and on how cocaine is moved from The Bahamas into the United States, with South Florida — particularly Miami — serving as a key transit point.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
He was also accused of deceiving escrow agents to secure the release of pre-construction condominium deposits and then misappropriated those funds for personal expenses unrelated to the developments.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
-
While small companies going out of business and leaving some customers empty handed can happen, the transactions are typically for much smaller amounts, such as deposits on furniture, according to Rheingold.—
Amber Gaudet,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Sediment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sediment. Accessed 26 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
