tributaries

noun

plural of tributary
as in headwaters
a stream that flows into a larger body of water the Amazon and its more than 1,000 known tributaries form the world's largest drainage basin

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 tributaries The altitude offers incredible vistas of the wetlands that border the Tanana River, one of the largest tributaries of the mighty Yukon. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 Salmon born in its tributaries migrate to the ocean, spend years feeding at sea, then return to spawn, linking villages like Rampart to the same waters where the pollock fleet fishes. — Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026 The team would be making camp at the confluence of the Barrancas and one of its tributaries. — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 The Arapiuns flows into the Tapajos, one of the Amazon River’s major tributaries, across waterways so vast that navigating them can feel like crossing the open sea. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 While low flows continue to persist in sections of the Colorado River, cold tributaries, deeper-water refuges in narrow canyon reaches, and larger pools provide cool refuges for fish. — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026 Broad rivers formed by the gentle joining of their tributaries, too numerous to count. — Supriya Lopez Pillai, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026 Underwater grasses in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries increased 13% in 2025, covering almost 5,000 more acres in Maryland's portion of the Bay, state officials reported. — Karl Hille, Baltimore Sun, 15 Sep. 2026 Together, the fish passages have opened up more than 60 miles of river and tributaries and roughly 2,400 acres of wetland habitat for migratory fish. — Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tributaries
  1. headwaters
  2. branches
  3. affluents
  4. feeders
  5. sources
Noun
  • Congress rolled back protections for the Boundary Waters, opening the door to mining in its headwaters.
    — Mary Beth Laughton, Time, 14 Oct. 2026
  • According to the post, Kentucky State Police Aviation saw smoke in the area, and wardens and search and rescue personnel were able to access the location, near the headwaters of Cave Run Lake, using a boat.
    — Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of headwaters
Noun
  • Under California law, encroaching roots or branches that cause damage can give a property owner grounds to pursue a nuisance claim or seek compensation, depending on the circumstances.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Argentina has previously designated several other groups as terrorist organizations, including Venezuela’s Cartel of the Suns, Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel and three branches of the Muslim Brotherhood.
    — Almudena Calatrava, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of branches
Noun
  • On that note, the ACRC survey reported that 52% of affluents were disappointed with the options presented by luxury brands.
    — Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of affluents
Noun
  • Ahead, bird experts share the best nuts and seeds to fill your feeders this winter.
    — Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 19 Oct. 2026
  • BirdVue also includes a community feature in its app, allowing users to explore bird activity and highlights captured by other BirdVue feeders.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of feeders
Noun
  • Many of the office’s attorneys, particularly in its misdemeanor corps, work with basement-level spirits, according to one of the sources.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Last month, citing anonymous sources, Reuters reported that Solidigm was holding pitch meetings with investment banks for an IPO that could value the company at up to $150 billion.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of sources

Browse Nearby Words

tribunes
tributaries
tributary
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Cite this Entry

“Tributaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributaries. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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