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
  • Batons, sticks, pipes, and small arms are among their favorite weapons.
    Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Included is a set of pipes at the front of the sanctuary, behind the pulpit, called the Chancel Swell, which is used when the organ is played for smaller gatherings.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Heavy rainfall will cause extensive and severe flash flooding of creeks, streams and ditches in the Tehama County Division of the Park Fire Burn Scar.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The district remains a throwback to the old days, much like the ancient thistle districts and thistle commissioners who were once found across Lake County in an attempt to stomp out the noxious weeds from farmlands and roadside ditches.
    Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Bolster or reattach sagging gutters, tighten up screws, and seal any cracks or leaks with gutter sealant.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Remove standing water from your flowerpots, gutters, pool covers, pet dishes, or birdbaths.
    Sherri Gordon, Health, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Unlike rigid processes, pathways are living conduits.
    Scott Hutcheson, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Machines are shut down and shovels return, covering conduits with clods of soil.
    Steven Searcy, IEEE Spectrum, 31 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • All three species belong to the Liparidae family, known to inhabit a wide range of cold ocean habitats, from shallow intertidal zones to the deepest ocean trenches 4 miles below the surface, researchers said.
    Lauren Liebhaber September 8, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Instead of sticking it out in the early crypto startup trenches, Simpson moved into venture, first working at a friend’s generalist firm before starting her own crypto fund, Autonomous Partners, which raised from Brian Armstrong, David Sacks’ Craft Ventures, and Steve Cohen’s family office.
    Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But now European and American scientists are exploring whether the first human Martians could find refuge via dormant volcanos scattered across the Red Planet, inside lava tubes that criss-cross the Mars underground.
    Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • There’s the laughing loft and the wacky tubes.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • At the same time, the ravines have become junkyards, where home appliances, grocery carts, bald tires, grass clippings and autumn leaves have been dumped.
    Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
  • The tracks led north and east now, angling and twisting through the timber, across ravines and small draws, avoiding parks and passes, heading generally into the wind.
    Fred C. Mercer, Outdoor Life, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • There have been various similar streamer-broadcaster partnerships struck in 2025, with Netflix’s agreement to carry the live channels and on-demand content from France’s TF1 starting 2026 arguably the most eye-catching.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Join Zax Rewardz and keep an eye out on Zaxby’s social channels for exclusive offers this week.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Troughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troughs. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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