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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in subordinate
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of tributary
Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026
More than fifty meters tall, the monument rises abruptly above the banks of the river Ancre, a tributary of the Somme.
—Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Sep. 2023
Sometimes the killers may be Chechens maybe organized by Putin’s other feral favourite, his tributary ruler of Russia’s Chechen republic, Kadyrov.
—Time, 24 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Noun
Alongside the tectonic activity, Obiero says changing weather patterns in southwestern Ethiopia are likely a significant factor, increasing inflow into the lake through the Omo river, its major tributary.
—Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026
More than fifty meters tall, the monument rises abruptly above the banks of the river Ancre, a tributary of the Somme.
—Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
Adjective
That salty, terminal lake had its tributary water diverted away by the city of Los Angeles, turning it into a dry salt flat.
—Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Sep. 2023
Sometimes the killers may be Chechens maybe organized by Putin’s other feral favourite, his tributary ruler of Russia’s Chechen republic, Kadyrov.
—Time, 24 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tributary
Noun
-
The headwaters of the Yadkin River were not located in the area of heaviest rainfall and the threat for flooding has ended there.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
27 May 2026
-
Last month, Congress used the CRA to remove protections against mining for roughly 225,000 acres at the headwaters of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.—
Scott Braden,
Denver Post,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
The economic order must remain subordinate to human dignity and the common good.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
30 May 2026
-
The study examined 518 manager-subordinate relationships and found that this leadership approach enhanced both employee thriving and performance through stronger positive job attitudes.—
Mary Hemphill,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
30 May 2026
-
The structured silhouette and clean lines feel refined without being flashy, while the durable leather withstands scrapes from branches and changing weather.—
Paris Wilson,
Travel + Leisure,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Louisiana was already represented with the bayou scene in Soarin’ Across America.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
1 June 2026
-
The sensation is of walking into a bayou junk shop that’s been abandoned and left to flower, and within and around these verdant crannies, Tsimring conjures a literal electric storm.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Sara Kennedy, the assistant chief of business services at OCFA, said the agency will seek reimbursement on behalf of city governments from FEMA’s public assistance program.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
-
In Milwaukee, Sweeney’s tenure as an assistant coach overlapped for three seasons with John Hammond’s tenure as general manager.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
For this reason, try to put your hummingbird food far from other bird feeders and, if possible, position several hummingbird feeders across your yard so aggressive hummingbirds can keep a safe space from their own kind.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 May 2026
-
The mix of elementary, middle and high school options means families can often keep their children within a familiar feeder pattern from kindergarten through graduation — a feature that matters to parents weighing long-term stability over short-term affordability.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
What Hill envisions is a continuum of care—therapy and coaching not as competing camps but as complementary services.—
Megan Bruneau,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
All of the experts agree that snack workouts should be viewed as complementary to longer sessions.—
Jeanne Ballion,
Vogue,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Hours into free agency opening March 9, Singleton remained unsigned — and had a skeleton deal lined up with another NFL team in free agency if negotiations with the Broncos fell through, according to a source familiar with the process.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
Residents are also encouraged to keep pets confined to their property and remove outdoor food sources that may attract wildlife.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributary. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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