SILT Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

silt 1 of 2

noun

Definition of silt

as in sediment

soil made chiefly of loose sedimentary material that is carried by flowing water and that sinks to the bottom of a river, pond, etc.

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silt

2 of 2

verb

as in to fur

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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 silt

Noun

The valley floor is silt and loess left by the ice-age Missoula Floods, the glacial-lake megafloods that repeatedly drowned the region. — Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 The Hansen Dam Aquatic Center pool was constructed in 1999 in a $15-million project to replace a previous pool in the area that was filled with silt. — Dante Estrada, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026

Verb

Historically, the region itself was created by the natural flooding and silting processes of the Mississippi River, which flows across the breadth of the state before spilling into the Gulf of America. — David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025 Its primary purpose is not to control people or accumulate power, except perhaps incrementally, in the form of a kind of silting up of canonical importance. — Literary Hub, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for silt

Recent Examples of Synonyms for silt

Noun

The researchers say the ancient escarpment may have influenced river systems, sediment transport and the flooding of continental interiors long before the rapid diversification of complex life during the Cambrian explosion.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
In Athens, the finely-ground sediment called katakathi settles to the bottom, each pour heavy and dark, demanding patience and time.

— Jennifer Leigh Parker, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of sediment

Verb

The twin springs that gave the Revolutionary War battle its name are no more, inundated by the 1940s project that flooded the Santee River basin for hydroelectric power and flood control.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Each room is flooded with amber Southwestern light, framed by chunky wooden beams, and the massive beds are adorned with local textiles.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of flood

Noun

The base played a critical role in national defense, housing a command bunker, planted deep into the regional loess, that was designed to withstand a nuclear blast.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
The Rhône's predominantly granite soils versus Walla Walla's basalt bedrock, riverbed cobbles, and windblown loess.

— Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of loess

Verb

But the debate is more about whether the opposition coalition can split the vote, strip Hichilema’s UPND of its working legislative majority, and threaten to gridlock reforms.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 29 July 2026
Campaign financing, taking money from special interests, leads not only to gridlock but also to an inability for political parties to act in good faith on their constituents’ behalf.

— Linh Tat, Oc Register, 5 May 2026

Definition of gridlock

Noun

Still, even with Ellison’s $111 billion WBD takeover plan under threat from a state attorneys general antitrust suit, $4 million and change is sofa detritus to the son of Larry Ellison.

— Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
This is where the Sora 70's surface-cleaning functionality came in handy, filling the filter basket with every floating bit of detritus and leaving the pool looking as if there had been no storm at all.

— John Mihaly, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of detritus

Verb

Prosecutors said Hernandez piloted the boat into a swell and had accelerated the throttle to try to pass through it until the swell swamped the bow of the boat, capsizing it immediately, a complaint alleged.

— Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Baxter swamped Elizabeth Accomando, 59% to 41%, in the Republican primary for this westernmost seat on the seven-member commission, despite a string of missteps that would disqualify most other candidates.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of swamp

Browse Nearby Words

silly

silt

silted

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Style

“Silt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silt. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of silt

noun

verb

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