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

Related Words

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
Surrounding the Grass River and its tributaries, the nature preserve is home to almost 150 species of birds and as well as many species of fish, reptiles, and amphibians. — Kristin Hagenson, Midwest Living, 22 July 2026 By summer 1951, unusually heavy rainfall had overwhelmed existing and newly built flood-control structures along the Kansas, Marais des Cygnes, and Neosho rivers and their tributaries. — Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 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
  • The headwaters of this 1,400-mile long artery are in the Rocky Mountains, fed by melting snowpack.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Following an exceedingly warm year that has left the Colorado River’s headwaters in the Rocky Mountains largely snowless, Lake Mead is nearing a record-low level.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of headwater
Adjective
  • The prosecutor noted Patten's cooperation, his good behavior while free awaiting his sentencing, and his subordinate role to the Cokers in the scheme.
    — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 21 July 2026
  • Executive Vulnerability How a leader reacts in the five-second window after being corrected by a subordinate determines the future of that company’s innovation.
    — William DeCourcy, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of subordinate
Noun
  • The research initiative will operate as a branch of Polymarket and aims to provide the institutional rigor and infrastructure necessary to measure how prediction markets can function at scale.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 29 July 2026
  • At the base, blueberry shrubs have multiple canes (or branches) that grow directly out of the earth in clumps.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 28 July 2026
Definition of branch
Adjective
  • Former Bruins assistant general manager Evan Gold found his new gig just a couple of hours down I-95 south.
    — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Ted is now working as an assistant manager at a local grocery store in Kansas City.
    — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of assistant
Noun
  • 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
  • While here, be sure to take a boat tour through the swamps of the bayou.
    — Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
Definition of bayou
Adjective
  • Dotson was a first-round pick in 2022, only eight picks behind London, and after two promising years with the Commanders, he was traded to the Eagles and forced into a complementary role.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 29 July 2026
  • Second, Hyman and Gordon—and their companies—are complementary in so many ways.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 29 July 2026
Definition of complementary
Noun
  • Atletico Junior, 12-time champions of Colombia’s top flight, were eliminated from the nation’s top cup competition by their own feeder side on Wednesday.
    — Sam Joseph, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • Bird baths should be placed at least 10 to 15 feet away from nearby feeders to keep bird seed and other debris from muddying up the water.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 July 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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tributaries
tributary
tribute
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Cite this Entry

“Tributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributary. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tributary

Nglish: Translation of tributary for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tributary

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