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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as in subordinate
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tributary
Time, 24 Aug. 2023
The edges of the country roads are decorated by tributary statues and banners flashing the faces of Allied soldiers who died in the fight.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 6 June 2023
Arkansas Online, 20 Aug. 2025
Sturgeon fishing generally isn’t a numbers game, and the fish that come onboard the Warship in the summer tend to run smaller than the behemoths that cruise the river in the spring to spawn in the Rainy and its tributaries.
—Brad Dokken, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Noun
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
The edges of the country roads are decorated by tributary statues and banners flashing the faces of Allied soldiers who died in the fight.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 6 June 2023
Adjective
As of February 2025, funds required to complete all tributary improvements outlined in the project add up to $844 million, according to information presented at the hearing.
—Arkansas Online, 20 Aug. 2025
Sturgeon fishing generally isn’t a numbers game, and the fish that come onboard the Warship in the summer tend to run smaller than the behemoths that cruise the river in the spring to spawn in the Rainy and its tributaries.
—Brad Dokken, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tributary
Noun
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Enjoy hiking trails with scenic overlooks and opportunities for paddling ⛵ and fishing near the river’s headwaters.—
Melissa Oyler,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Sep. 2025
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Ashia Wilson, a member of the Klamath Tribes who lives at the river’s headwaters, said that the week before the paddlers reached the mouth Upper Klamath Lake, the home to the endemic c’waam and koptu fish, is now too toxic to touch.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
USA Today,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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They were issued by Fina RDC 2020, a certificate authority that’s subordinate to the root certificate holder Fina Root CA.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
3 Sep. 2025
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And subordinate-superior relationships raise the risk of real and perceived favoritism.—
Kim Elsesser,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Like several quasi-independent regulatory agencies in the executive branch, the STB consists of five partisan board members with staggered five-year terms who oversee a staff.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Prepare to witness dense clusters of these delicate creatures covering every branch.—
Gaby Keiderling,
Robb Report,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Mississippi River, draining snowmelt from the north, was thirty degrees colder than the bayou.—
Nathaniel Rich,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
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Coming from humble beginnings in the Louisiana bayou, the sisters decided to chase the glitz and glamour of the Big Apple and haven’t looked back.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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Under-21s coach Barry Lewtas left after 12 years and was subsequently named head coach of England Under-16s and assistant coach for England Under-20s.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
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Conway is a third-generation firefighter who was with the Milwaukee Fire Department for more than 30 years, retiring as the department's assistant chief of operations in 2012.—
Cathy Kozlowicz,
jsonline.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The birds are naturally drawn to flowers, but are also known for taking pit stops at bright feeders filled with sugary goodness for them.—
Joyce Orlando,
Nashville Tennessean,
4 Sep. 2025
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Use a funnel to fill the feeder to avoid drips and spills on the exterior.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Nick Pivetta is the rotation’s standout in every way when he was supposed to be a complementary piece.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Aug. 2025
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The two films are complementary in a weird sort of way.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Ukrainian and Western governments have accused North Korea of supplying significant amounts of ammunition and troops to support Russia's war, while Kyiv and its NATO backers have identified China as Moscow's prime source of materiel and a vital economic lifeline.—
Leah Sarnoff,
ABC News,
3 Sep. 2025
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Their goal was to find an IP address — the unique identifier assigned to every cell phone and computer — that could reveal the source.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributary. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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