shallows

Definition of shallowsnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 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 Wading birds stalk the shallows, woodpeckers tap through the hammocks, and osprey circle overhead along the river corridor. Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2026 Silvery costumes abandoned in the shallows. Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026 The pelicans on the water, the diving cormorants and circling ospreys, the stalking great blue herons in the shallows — all are reminders of what’s at stake for Pitt and for the West. Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025 Come nightfall, clouds of plankton swarm Kaunaoa's waters, bringing flocks of feasting manta rays to the shallows. Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Dec. 2025 Even if a major oil spill happened 100 miles from Florida’s coast, the loop current could bring it to the state’s shallows, said Tracey Sutton, the deepwater researcher. Kylie Williams, Miami Herald, 29 Nov. 2025 The weather is warm but not sweltering, hovering in the high 70s with little rain—perfect for snorkeling among the coral reefs of Andros, kayaking through the Exumas’ turquoise shallows, or simply sinking into a hammock with a book and beer in hand. Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025 From open ocean shallows where dolphins surf the waves to quiet estuaries perfect for teaching calves to hunt, Folly offers an ideal year-round playground. Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shallows
Noun
  • Under the cover of night on July 30, 1949, the Amethyst quenched all its lights on board and shadowed a passing Chinese merchant ship, the Kiangling Liberation, following it through the tricky shoals of the river.
    Anne Ewbank, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
  • The little sluiceways through the shoals were only a few inches deep, so the coontail moss was also that much closer to the surface.
    Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • But, as JPMorgan notes, those innovations allowed banks to open more branches, increasing employment overall.
    Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
  • But the Qualtrics and Arclin deal show that things aren’t worry-free in bank land, either.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 2 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Shallows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shallows. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.

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