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
Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
More than $300 million has been invested in sediment remediation and $9 million was spent on habitat restoration.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 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
Submerged tree stumps preserved in mud and sediment can be dated precisely, revealing when rising tides drowned coastal forests.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
More than $300 million has been invested in sediment remediation and $9 million was spent on habitat restoration.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sediment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sediment
Verb
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Science is never settled For decades, it was assumed that AHE was always spin-driven and only occurred in magnetic materials.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Sep. 2025
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Keough said her grandmother tried to settle Lisa Marie's estate less than 24 hours after her death in 2023.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But after weeks of staring at bare ground, a few green shoots pushed through the dark silt.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
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For millennia, the Nile's predictable annual floods deposited nutrient-rich silt on its banks, enabling agriculture to flourish in an arid landscape and giving rise to one of history's most enduring civilizations.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In living brains, dendrites spot patterns, filter out noise and trigger local spikes that shape how the neuron fires.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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Golden mussels are aggressive filter feeders that release nitrogen and phosphorus while filtering, which can contribute to algal blooms and degrade habitats for native fish and plants.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The committee has already conducted interviews and depositions with nearly a dozen former top Biden aides and members of the president’s inner circle.—
Mary Clare Jalonick,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Aug. 2025
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That being said, the site experienced sand deposition.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Neville said he's noticed many boutique and family-run hotels, especially in high-demand spots like Dubrovnik, Prague, and Santorini, booking out earlier than ever, requiring full deposits up front, and enforcing strict cancellation policies.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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The nature of this deposit is distinctive enough that scientists believe its origin is a great flood.—
Elizabeth Fernandez,
Big Think,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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When atmospheric rivers are pushed upward, the water vapor cools, condenses and precipitates.—
Amy Graff,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sediment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sediment. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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