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
Their inquiries revealed that the trucks carried winter storm sediment dredged from catch basins that were quickly inundated with runoff in and around fire-scarred Altadena. Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025 The introduction of hydraulic mining during the Gold Rush washed away vast chunks of the landscape, particularly in Yuba County, flushing tons of sediment into the river system and ultimately reshaping the rivers themselves. Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sediment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sediment
Verb
  • Have all the evidentiary issues been settled? Not entirely.
    Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 17 May 2025
  • Listen to this article San Diego is paying out $700,000 to settle two injury lawsuits, one involving a pedestrian in San Ysidro and another involving a motorcycle rider in northern Clairemont.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • In Prospect, along the Ohio River, the owners of Captain’s Quarters Riverside Grille responded to the incursion of dirty river water by deliberately flooding the restaurant with fresh water, keeping most of the silt and debris out.
    Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The fossil was located on Soom Shale, a band of silts and clays about 250 miles north of Cape Town, South Africa.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • When news about Alhurra filtered out — along with talk that even MBN might shut down — many observers saw it as an own goal, a misguided rollback of U.S. soft power in the Middle East.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2025
  • Sunlight filters through the kelp canopy, turning the water into stained glass, a masterpiece in motion.
    Avery Schuyler Nunn, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The lawyers will also take depositions no later than May 9 of four Trump aides, including Michael G. Kozak, a State Department official.
    Michael S. Schmidt, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Clients spend months—or years—embroiled in discovery, depositions and hearings.
    David Centeno, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This was agreed to, but Russia's foreign minister has said that the mineral deposits that exist in Ukraine in the east are one reason his country wouldn't withdraw from that area.
    CBS News, CBS News, 4 May 2025
  • While Albanese was criticized for not doing enough to tame rising living costs during his first term, in the years ahead he’s promised a tax cut, cheaper medicines, lower deposits for first-time buyers and 1.2 million houses to ease the housing crisis.
    Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • Once completed, the smelter will produce 90,000 tonnes of mixed hydroxide precipitate, a crucial material for making EV batteries.
    Yessar Rosendar, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sediment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sediment. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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