1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

tarn

noun

Definition of tarnnext
as in lake

Related Words

Relevance

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 tarn Beyond daily swims in Ullswater, guests have the opportunity to explore the inspiring landscape of the Lake District, visiting hidden tarns, rivers, and even a stargazing night. — Freya Bromley, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Feb. 2025 The two main tarns on this trail are flanked by subalpine meadows with a variety of shrubs and wildflowers that change colors in the fall. — Graham Averill, Outside Online, 16 Sep. 2024 The lake, a glacial tarn called Roopkund, was more than sixteen thousand feet above sea level, an arduous five-day trek from human habitation, in a mountain cirque surrounded by snowfields and battered by storms. — Douglas Preston, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2020 Follow the winding trail toward the base of O'Malley Peak to a striking, dark tarn called Deep Lake. — Tegan Hanlon, Anchorage Daily News, 15 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarn
  1. lake
  2. pond
  3. reservoir
  4. lagoon
  5. loch
  6. lough
Noun
  • Be sure to plan your trip around mid-to-late October, when autumnal foliage is at its peak, and hit hiking trails that come alive with color, like the Croda da Lago Circuit and its reflective alpine lake, Lago di Federa.
    — Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Valensin Vineyard, 10675 Valensin Road in Galt, hosts stand-up paddleboarding events monthly on its 15-acre lake.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of lake
Noun
  • In January 2025, the Griffin MSI announced plans to open the South Portico facing the Columbia Basin pond in Jackson Park.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Leawood police confirmed that the vehicle recovered from a retention pond in the 14700 block of Norwood Street was the one reportedly driven by Flekier, a Leawood man who has been missing since June 7, 2016.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of pond
Noun
  • Mulligan’s Lindsay is brittle, entitled and frequently cruel, giving the actress the chance to deliver scathing rejoinders and self-deluded justifications, all with a deep reservoir of personal disappointment.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The city already owns the reservoir, and its water treatment plant right next door uses a huge amount of electricity.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of reservoir
Noun
  • White flamingos and red-footed falcons floated above the lagoon, framed by a long strip of dune and beach.
    — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The two-week dredging effort, conducted by Southern California Edison, directly helps with water backing up into the lagoon and surrounding neighborhoods.
    — Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of lagoon
Noun
  • This is a landscape of lochs and mountains, best viewed from a cozy railcar, on a train that coddles just 36 passengers on an all-inclusive journey.
    — Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 17 June 2026
  • The sprawling coastal property encompasses roughly 3,700 acres of pastureland, woodlands, lochs, and more than three miles of dramatic shoreline.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 11 June 2026
Definition of loch
Noun
  • Out in the middle of lough an archipelago of strange islands emerge.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
  • Global warming has also increased the temperature of the lough, encouraging the abundant blooms.
    — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 18 June 2026
Definition of lough

Browse Nearby Words

tariffs
tarn
tarnish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tarn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarn. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of aggrandize

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All