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
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2025
About two dozen river gauge sites were at major flood stage, and 122 locations across the central U.S. were at or above flood stage, spanning multiple rivers and tributaries, according to AccuWeather.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
Catherine Porter, New York Times, 6 June 2023
This was a tributary version of the break-up and floe of ice that historically has happened in all the Great Lakes.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 27 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Noun
The play becomes a delta itself, where tributary identities—Muslim, Yoruba, traditional, modern—mingle and, when the priest’s hypocrisy is exposed, surge toward confrontation.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2025
About two dozen river gauge sites were at major flood stage, and 122 locations across the central U.S. were at or above flood stage, spanning multiple rivers and tributaries, according to AccuWeather.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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
This was a tributary version of the break-up and floe of ice that historically has happened in all the Great Lakes.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 27 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tributary
Noun
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Its main stem flows 2,350 miles from the headwaters at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, touching 10 states and spreading out into many more with its tributaries.—
Amy Graff,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
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Gauley River: Threatened by toxic pollution from strip mining for coal in the headwaters.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Each theater navy has its subordinate submarine flotillas, surface ship flotillas, aviation units, and naval bases, the Pentagon stated in its Chinese military power report.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
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Therefore, all the other religions found in India thrive because of Hinduism, and are subordinate to it.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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May 10, West Oaks branch of the Orange County Library System, 1821 E. Silver Star Road, Ocoee. —10 a.m.-1 p.m. May 10 and May 24, Apenberry’s Nursery, 3443 Edgewater Drive, Orlando.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 May 2025
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Stitch by stitch, square by square, across the country, hundreds of women ‒ and a few men ‒ are crafting handmade quilts covered in bipartisan political messages urging members of Congress to more effectively exercise their power as an equal branch of government.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
7 May 2025
Noun
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Her dancer embodied the lyrics, pouring gas cans around the bayou cottage and setting it ablaze, courtesy of a projector’s haunting glow on the stage.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
26 Apr. 2025
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This could be based on a romantic memory in Lisbon, a trek through gorgeous scenery in Switzerland or a perfect meal out in a Louisiana bayou.—
John Mariani,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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However, be sure the feeder is easy to disassemble for cleaning and replace any leaking feeders.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
18 May 2025
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All have a 250-sheet input tray, and all have a 50-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF).—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Slightly warmer undertones are complementary to wood tones.—
Eleni N. Gage,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 May 2025
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Vail Health designed Precourt to treat patients holistically, with healthy meals, exercise options and complementary therapies, such as art and music, as well as traditional one-on-one or group therapy, said Dr. Teresa Haynes, director of inpatient behavioral health.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
12 May 2025
Noun
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The extraordinary source material is a profound inspiration to build a unique world that vibrates with life and death at the same time.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
16 May 2025
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During the speech, McLean mentioned uncertainty in federal funding sources while discussing affordability in Boise.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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In his 1985 report, Popplewell cited the lack of fire extinguishers or clearly signposted evacuation routes as a contributory factor, along with the locked exit gates and no one knowing who was in overall control of the matchday operation.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
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The news comes in the wake of health officials announcing that Arakawa died at 65 from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare condition that comes from contact with rodents, and Hackman subsequently died at 95 from heart disease, with Alzheimer's as a significant contributory factor.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributary. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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