tributary 1 of 2

noun

ˈtri-byə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce tributary (audio)
Definition of tributarynext
as in headwater
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

tributary

2 of 2

adjective

as in subordinate

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Dissimilar 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 tributary
Noun
This has not been the season the Mets planned for, but their tributary in Binghamton is as exciting as it’s been in years. — Tim Britton, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026 The Brahmaputra and its tributaries carry enormous amounts of sediment from the Himalayas, continually reshaping channels, banks and river islands. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Adjective
But these capitalists were encircled for hundreds of years by a sea of subsistence farmers and tributary empires that operated on completely different principles. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 Jan. 2026 History is everywhere in Okinawa, which from 1429 to 1879 was the Ryukyu Kingdom, a tributary state under China’s Ming and Qing dynasties. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 16 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tributary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tributary
  1. headwater
  2. subordinate
  3. branch
  4. assistant
  5. bayou
  6. complementary
  7. feeder
  8. contributory
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 headwater
Adjective
  • So, no, the Chiefs don’t view it as meaningless so much as being subordinate to the real cause.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Those individual leases were subordinate to BDC’s ground lease, meaning Reitman’s group was responsible not just for reopening the theater but for maintaining and overseeing its existing tenancy structure.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of subordinate
Noun
  • Its entire weight is suspended from the branches of a living Akagi tree, without a single support column fixed into the ground.
    — Shannon Sharpe, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Construction will begin soon on a new Charlotte Mecklenburg Library branch.
    — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of branch
Adjective
  • This position — especially once assistant head coach Frank Smith arrived — requires immense mental aptitude.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Teron is the assistant director at the Alliance for Positive Change Keith Haring Harlem Center.
    — Joel Teron, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of assistant
Noun
  • Now the sound was muffled from the hunters as the dogs passed around a canebrake wall bordered by a dark bayou.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Day One of the conference was unfortunately a bit muted this time around as Tropical Storm Bertha ripped across the Gulf Coast, unleashing its power across the Louisiana bayou.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of bayou
Adjective
  • Sincerity and audacity are not opposing forces but complementary ones in this space, and for writers, retro programmers, and other film fans who came of age after midnight at the movies, Curry’s impact persists as its own kind of religion.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The complementary setup is intended to prevent defenders from being handcuffed and improve the success rate of their outlet passes.
    — Janson Duench, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of complementary
Noun
  • The discovery came out of a community science project in the Chiricahuas, in which researchers detected bat DNA in homeowners’ hummingbird feeders.
    — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Use puzzle feeders, wand toys and short play sessions to encourage movement.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of feeder
Adjective
  • Alzheimer’s disease was a significant contributory factor in Hackman’s death.
    — Evan Bush, NBC news, 4 May 2026
  • In trademark law, there is contributory liability in two different circumstances.
    — Jess Collen, Forbes.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of contributory

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tributary
tribute
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Cite this Entry

“Tributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributary. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tributary

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tributary

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