shallows

plural of shallow
as in shoal
a place where a body of water (as a sea or river) is shallow we waded through the shallows looking for tadpoles

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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 shallows One partner holds his end of the seine on shore while the other partner wades through the shallows holding the other, sweeping the seine in a wide arc to herd minnows toward the bank. Chad Mason, Outdoor Life, 3 June 2026 As the boat pulls in, the children clamber over the side, wading through the shallows past abandoned, submerged school buildings. Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026 Hippos grunt and grumble in the shallows, crocodiles sunbathe on sandbanks, elephants appear along the banks, while fish eagles call overhead as sunset approaches. Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026 Thawing ice along a riverbank, the shallows capturing the reflection of one of the grandchildren; the burning flame of a wick disappearing into a birthday cake; the deep, dark tunnel of a fleeting set of train tracks, as piercing as the endless blue eyes of the toddler in the diptych beside it. Casey Cep, New Yorker, 9 May 2026 Conditions are best in the morning before the wind picks up—and visibility is often strong enough to see schools moving through the shallows, along with stingrays and smaller reef species near the edges. Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Apr. 2026 Saddling up with Santa Ynez Valley Horseback Rides means getting up close and personal with the Santa Ynez River as the horses step sure-footed through the shallows on multiple water crossings. Maggie Downs, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2026 Winter through spring draws anglers who cast from ladders in the shallows to reach deep drop-offs. Ted Alvarez, Outside, 9 Mar. 2026 His review begins with Giuseppe Garibaldi, on the beach at Marsala, bootsoles in the saltwhite shallows, wind in his beard gristle. Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shallows
Noun
  • China claims almost all of the sea, including areas that overlap with exclusive economic zones from countries like the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia, and has been building out structures on some shoals in recent years to bolster its claims.
    Joanna Ossinger, CNBC, 30 May 2026
  • Rose Island Lighthouse stands on a rocky heap of land in Narragansett Bay, guiding ships away from the shallow shoals of Newport Harbor.
    Madeline Bilis, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2026
Noun
  • Closing the order books gives banks time to gauge demand ahead and advise the company on pricing.
    Bloomberg, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
  • Of 10 bear market signposts tracked by the bank, seven were triggered in May, up from five in April and four in March.
    Tobias Burns, CNBC, 8 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shallows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shallows. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

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