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
Relevance
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
To date, this and other restoration efforts have helped to restore oyster reefs across nearly 1,800 acres in ten different tributaries to the bay.
—
JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
The new pipeline route will cross more than 180 Lake Superior tributaries, raising environmental concerns for tribal and environmental groups.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Of the more than five thousand tributaries that empty into the Great Lakes, about one in ten is infested with lampreys.
—Katie Thornton, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
These ancient, natural waterways are former tributaries of the Rio Grande left behind hundreds to thousands of years ago when the river shifted its course.
—Gabi De La Rosa, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
Once the jaguar is secure on the floatation device, the rescue vessel carries the exhausted predator along the river — one of the largest tributaries of the Amazon — towards land.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
China’s rule over Tibet, Qinghai, and Xinjiang dates back to the Qing dynasty, which conquered some former Ming tributaries in northwestern China and Central Asia and reorganized them as new provinces.
—David C. Kang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2025
After about two more decades of ice retreat, two tributaries to the north and south of the Alsek Glacier ceased feeding ice to the glacier, NASA reported.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
Invasive blue catfish also may be hurting numbers of striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay tributaries, but that wouldn’t account for low numbers in the Hudson or Delaware rivers.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 17 Sep. 2025
JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
The new pipeline route will cross more than 180 Lake Superior tributaries, raising environmental concerns for tribal and environmental groups.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Of the more than five thousand tributaries that empty into the Great Lakes, about one in ten is infested with lampreys.
—Katie Thornton, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
These ancient, natural waterways are former tributaries of the Rio Grande left behind hundreds to thousands of years ago when the river shifted its course.
—Gabi De La Rosa, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
Once the jaguar is secure on the floatation device, the rescue vessel carries the exhausted predator along the river — one of the largest tributaries of the Amazon — towards land.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
China’s rule over Tibet, Qinghai, and Xinjiang dates back to the Qing dynasty, which conquered some former Ming tributaries in northwestern China and Central Asia and reorganized them as new provinces.
—David C. Kang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sep. 2025
After about two more decades of ice retreat, two tributaries to the north and south of the Alsek Glacier ceased feeding ice to the glacier, NASA reported.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
Invasive blue catfish also may be hurting numbers of striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay tributaries, but that wouldn’t account for low numbers in the Hudson or Delaware rivers.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tributaries
Noun
-
The headwaters of the Big Thompson River snake across an emerald plain, past beaver dams and aspen groves and toward the highest peaks of the Front Range.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Biologist Fabiola ‘Fabby’ Baeza-Tarin and an unexpected team work together to protect the sparrows, their shrinking habitat and the headwaters of the Everglades.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Local forecast updates are issued by regional NWS branches via the agency’s website and social media channels.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
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
Noun
-
These birds need to visit feeders or food energy needed during their trip south.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Orchids are heavy feeders, and their soil alone won't provide enough nutrients for them.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The change has proved costly because Venezuela lost one of its few remaining sources of legitimate income.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
-
As global demand for cleaner and more efficient energy sources intensifies, solar power remains one of the most promising solutions.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tributaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributaries. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share