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
Jon Stojan, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
Backwashing can clear sediment from the filters, and if it’s not done well debris can get through the filter into the water, Nikoloff said.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 6 Oct. 2025
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
By leaving roots in place, the landscape may remain more stable, helping reduce sediment runoff into creeks and wetlands.
—Jon Stojan, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
Backwashing can clear sediment from the filters, and if it’s not done well debris can get through the filter into the water, Nikoloff said.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sediment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sediment
Verb
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This is called a bifurcation, or a point where a system can settle into one of two different stable states, depending on small differences in conditions.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Oct. 2025
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That said, there’s a real sense that the dust is starting to settle.—
Paul Chai,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Keeping the soil moist also protects hostas against frost heaving, when the freezing and thawing of the ground causes plants to lift from the soil, particularly clay and silt soils that retain moisture.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
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Small towns along the French Broad River, like Marshall and Hot Springs, were severely affected, with floodwaters either leveling buildings or plastering the structures with thick mud and silt.—
Garret K. Woodward,
Rolling Stone,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This is luxury filtered through skate sensibility, where imperfection becomes intentional and wear tells a story.—
Christopher Claxton,
Billboard,
10 Oct. 2025
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On the closing title track, light begins to filter in even as Diaz keeps her emotions close.—
Maura Johnston,
Rolling Stone,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Use cases include techniques such as chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition and physical vapor deposition.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
13 Oct. 2025
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Though his lawsuit was against Jones, his attorneys broadened their campaign, bombarding the company and its officials with subpoenas and deposition requests.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Tens of billions of tons sit idle in waste piles and marginal deposits, overlooked by industry but still rich with potential.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
9 Oct. 2025
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For a 2021 Ford Escape with 50,000 miles, we were quoted a price of $137 per month for 24 months, with a 10% deposit.—
Brian Sloan,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The longer this cooling time is, the more likely the individual precipitate is to grow, according to details released by MIT.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Oct. 2025
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The new high-pressure acid leaching smelter will produce 66,000 tons of nickel in mixed hydroxide precipitate each year when completed, using nickel ore from Vale Indonesia’s mines.—
Yessar Rosendar,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sediment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sediment. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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