troughs

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

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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

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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

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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 This effect is amplified by the natural asymmetry of sea waves – their crests are typically sharper and steeper than their flatter troughs. Francesco Fedele, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2025 The hadal zone is primarily comprised of oceanic trenches and troughs — some of the deepest and least explored environments on Earth. Marlowe Starling, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025 Misjudgements and poor patches of form are part of the narrative in Test match troughs. Tim Ellis, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024 Additionally, several settlement pits, troughs, and above-ground structures were identified. Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 21 Dec. 2024 Not so with axions; quantum interference patterns would result in the distribution of axions in a galaxy's dark matter halo to come in peaks and troughs, each extending thousands of light-years. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2024 These winds blow west to east, but the belt can shift north and south, forming ridges and troughs. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 27 Nov. 2024 While there have been peaks and troughs in the number of homes sold since then, sales have not recovered to above the 5 million sales per month mark that was common prior to the pandemic. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troughs
Noun
  • Until then, the NWS urges residents to take precautionary measures like insulating pipes and covering sensitive plants.
    Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Drain pipes beneath the soda machine lacked a minimum 1-inch air gap.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk.
    Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 14 Oct. 2025
  • In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger.
    Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Remove standing water around homes, such as in flowerpots, buckets and gutters.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Rainfall creates ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes in standing water like puddles and gutters.
    Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Only the means, the conduits of misinformation, and the overall enshittification have changed.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The San Pablo Bay Pipeline is the larger of two conduits carrying crude to Northern California.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The discoveries span worms, mollusks, and crustaceans collected from habitats ranging from shallow waters to the ocean’s deepest trenches.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The mud, blood, and bombardment of the World War I trenches forms the backdrop to the most audacious horror novel of the year.
    Neil McRobert, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Cathode ray tubes for Sarnoff and RCA to make televisions.
    Fortune Editors, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
  • 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, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Michael Anderson, executive director of the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance, said with results from Senjem in hand, landowners will be able to take action to stop sediment from ravines on their properties.
    Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Every year in the early fall, along the riverbanks and ravines of the Southeast coast, pawpaws begin to show up in the understory.
    Stephanie Ganz, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Along with the sports news, Sensical Gaming has forged ties across FAST, apps and subscription channels with creators Abdallah Smash, DanTDM, Ethan Gamer, KREW, Shiloh & Bros, and Stacy Plays.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The extraordinary footage, which Unitree Robotics shared on the its social media channels depicts the humanoid bot carrying out a series of complex movements, including pirouettes, dance routines, as well as incredible kickboxing skills.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Troughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troughs. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

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