sources 1 of 2

noun

plural of source
1
as in origins
a point or place at which something is invented or provided we were uncertain as to the source of the rumors a source of inspiration

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in headwaters
the beginning part of a stream 19th-century explorers who sought the source of the Nile

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in references
something mentioned in a text as providing related and especially supporting information the professor asked the students to have at least five different sources for their papers

Synonyms & Similar Words

sources

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of source
as in documents

Related Words

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 sources
Noun
Renewable energy credits serve as proof that a company uses electricity from clean energy sources like solar farms, according to the Retail Energy Supply Association. — Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026 Other dark leafy greens, such as Swiss chard and collard greens, are good sources, too. — Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 31 Aug. 2026 How experts can earn trust Experts cannot assume that others see them as trustworthy or that people will pay attention to them while ignoring sources who have demonstrated other aspects of trustworthiness. — John C. Besley, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026 Larger, older cities toward the core of the Phoenix metro tend to have more taxpayers, deeper pockets, larger staffs and a long history of securing access to different sources of water. — Alex Hager, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026 Neutrinos, which are produced in the sun as well as other astrophysical sources and are constantly zipping through the Earth, are notoriously difficult to measure. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 31 Aug. 2026 Anthropic closely guards its training data sources, but music publishers think the court should require more transparency. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026 Under the legal framework, casualties are expected, since a non-lethal option is not considered possible, the sources said. — Laura Romero, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 However, royal sources speculate that the couple is less than thrilled. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sources
  1. origins
  2. headwaters
  3. references
  4. documents
  5. fountains
  6. tributaries
  7. authorities
  8. roots
Noun
  • The actor opened up about the origins of his steely exterior in a 2023 interview with USA TODAY.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Arte Distribution has Origins, A Tale of Light, a science doc that uses images created by artist Roman Hill, about the origins of the Universe.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of origins
Noun
  • Clear Creek County Commissioner George Marlin makes a compelling case that alone, his small county of about 9,000 residents could never fund the mitigation needed to protect the headwaters of Clear Creek.
    — Megan Schrader, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The agreement was made at a time when the region had a smaller population and benefited from wetter years, with much more snow to feed the river’s headwaters in the Rocky Mountains.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of headwaters
Noun
  • What would have taken a novice lapsed coder like me hours of time struggling with physics models and code references was already in a functional, ready-to-test state with minimal effort.
    — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • GPTZero investigation published 14 May 2026 found 16 of 27 citations fabricated, misattributed, or broken, including references to Forbes, McKinsey, Gartner, TechCrunch, and WIRED.
    — Ted Ladd, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of references
Verb
  • That project documents a show that has become one of Byrne’s most ambitious live productions, with 13 musicians, singers and dancers moving through a constantly shifting blend of choreography, visual art, storytelling and music.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 2 Sep. 2026
  • His work documents the city’s growth and decay across two centuries, street by street, decade by decade, elevating the details of urban life to mythic status.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of documents
Noun
  • Trump had refurbished two ornamental fountains, for seventeen million dollars, and wants the park to have forty-seven maple trees, in homage to himself.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The Spanish Colonial compound is a labyrinth of courtyards filled with fountains and flowering plants.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of fountains
Noun
  • That allowed sea water to infiltrate freshwater tributaries across the peninsula, especially in lagoons and deltas where clam and mussel farms provided ample prey.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Wildlife managers and volunteers will be closing more than 14 miles of stream and tributaries in Rocky Mountain National Park on Monday to start a weeklong operation meant to clear new habitat for Colorado's state fish.
    — Logan Smith, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of tributaries
Noun
  • The driver of the Mercedes-Benz remained at the scene until authorities arrived.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Two people were stabbed, one fatally, near Times Square on Monday afternoon, with responding authorities shooting and killing the female suspect, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of authorities
Noun
  • The gel texture lightly clarifies the scalp and volumizes the roots with the help of salicylic and glutamic acids.
    — Madison San Miguel, Allure, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Having a healthy lawn means managing soil conditions for the roots, mowing properly, and strengthening the density of the grass by overseeding.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of roots

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Cite this Entry

“Sources.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sources. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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