troughs

Definition of troughsnext
plural of trough
1
as in pipes
a long hollow cylinder for carrying a substance (as a liquid or gas) all of the wiring for the converted residential loft is concealed in a vertical trough

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in ditches
a long narrow channel dug in the earth I slid and fell into the trough by the side of the road, scraping my leg

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in gutters
a pipe or channel for carrying off water from a roof the troughs on the eaves of the house were clogged with leaves

Synonyms & Similar 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 troughs The Euro model, which has been more accurate in handling these shortwave troughs over the next week, has a major ice storm occurring as the rain arrives. Ron Smiley, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026 Producers are looking at factors like cost of labor combined with the time and material costs of driving around to check wells or troughs — areas where Ranchbot might be able to lend an assist. Lana Ferguson, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026 Stock tanks, also called cattle troughs, are essentially giant metal water bowls for livestock. Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026 Water collected in the mesh drips down and is collected into troughs. Daniella Garcia Almeida, Mercury News, 13 Jan. 2026 Her seventh novel follows longtime friends Laura Miller and Edmund Putnam, both languishing in personal and professional troughs. Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026 Crests and troughs add together, sometimes making higher crests and lower troughs or sometimes canceling each other out. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 27 Nov. 2025 Coloe Fossae was shaped by powerful tectonics, which stretched and cracked Mars's crust, causing chunks of ground to collapse and form long, parallel troughs. Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 14 Nov. 2025 There are several weather systems (troughs and areas of high pressure) that will be tying to steer the system late this week and over the weekend. Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troughs
Noun
  • The former fake hotel is now full of glistening bronze pipes, a retro futurist look that former Imagineer Joe Rohde, who led the design, has said takes influence from the high-tech aesthetic of architect Renzo Piano, who worked on France’s Pompidou Centre.
    Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
  • These plastics appear in countless products, including food packaging and water bottles; medical equipment, such as syringes and IV bags; electronics casings and appliances; automotive parts; and construction materials, such as pipes and insulation.
    André O. Hudson, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The sweet steam mixed with the sour smell of leaves in ditches and marshy places along the creek.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
  • If outside, seek shelter in low-lying areas like ditches or ravines.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Check that gutters are firmly attached and not pulling away from the roofline.
    Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Side-running bus lanes in those areas would follow a complete road reconstruction, including new sidewalks, medians, boulevards, pavements, curbs and gutters.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • In the show’s understanding of powerful men’s lust for young — often too young — women, Hayley and, subsequently, Yasmin are positioned as conduits between the elite and their transgressive desires, not unlike Ghislaine Maxwell’s role in Epstein’s broader scheme.
    Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Beneath the deck, or roadway surface, the structure carries sewer, water and recycled water pipelines and conduits for electrical and fiber optic cables.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Makeshift trenches with food supplies and utensils belonging to the miners were also dismantled, with clothing items left behind after the miners fled the site in Randfontein, about 25 miles west of Johannesburg.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Beneath the landscape, a geoexchange system composed of 16 trenches, each roughly 10 feet deep and 150 feet long, taps the earth’s stable temperature to handle heating and cooling.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The system acts as the digital interface linking the submarine’s navigation systems, mission computers, and the launch tubes that house the ballistic missiles.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Mud tunnels, or shelter tubes, about the width of a straw, on the foundation, floor joists, and other parts of the house are signs of a colony.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • If outside, seek shelter in low-lying areas like ditches or ravines.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The area has deep ravines and dense vegetation.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Down the road, the synergistic opportunities are potentially more significant for building the profile of both brands, from summer festivals to new retail channels, Magliaro said.
    Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Adriana Lambarri’s costumes skillfully replicate the actor’s garb in the film while composer/sound designer Jazer Sibley-Schwartz channels at the outset a knowing nod to John Williams’ indelible, two-note cadence of menacing notes announcing the shark’s arrival.
    Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 10 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Troughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troughs. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on troughs

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster