troughs

noun

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

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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

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 But Kostyuk, who has done tremendous work of her own this season to add solidity and evenness to a tennis arsenal with impossible peaks, but also deep troughs, had reasons to do much more than feel the agony of missing out. — James Hansen, New York Times, 9 July 2026 Conversely, major troughs in the jetstream will form on either side of that giant ridge, one in the Pacific Northwest and another right over New England. — Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 28 May 2026 Peaks, troughs, breaks, beginnings, and endings shape the quality of decisions. — Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 Possible mosquito breeding areas can include fish ponds, swimming pools, spas, standing water, tree holes, containers, bird baths, roof gutters, pet water bowls, street gutters, wading pools and watering troughs. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 11 May 2026 Wooden ladder planters with zinc troughs provide an easy way to achieve vertical gardening in small spaces such as patios. — Midwest Living, 22 Apr. 2026 Gass said a series of upper-level troughs are expected to influence the region through the week, keeping the temperatures from climbing higher. — Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troughs
  1. pipes
  2. ditches
  3. gutters
  4. conduits
  5. trenches
  6. tubes
  7. ravines
  8. channels
Noun
  • According to Los Alamos, the ZiaCore project also demonstrates how advanced reactor technologies can leverage the laboratory’s expertise in heat pipes, reactor materials, fabrication, and criticality testing.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026
  • Even more beguiling was a barrel organ crafted with flutes instead of pipes.
    — Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of pipes
Noun
  • Both townships and counties had authority to tax land thus providing funds for roads and ditches.
    — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 26 July 2026
  • Some propose walls and ditches to keep people from migrating.
    — Cristina Dorador, The Dial, 14 July 2026
Definition of ditches
Noun
  • As a storm approaches, secure outdoor items, reinforce entry points, clear gutters, and know utility shut-off locations.
    — Jamie Gold, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • These fiery particles seek out the smallest vulnerabilities, lodging in gutters, slipping through attic vents or settling into dry debris near your home.
    — Neil Collins, Washington Post, 24 July 2026
Definition of gutters
Noun
  • Securities regulators are cracking down on Hong Kong brokerages used as conduits by wealthy individuals to move funds offshore.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 21 July 2026
  • Federal authorities routinely target South Florida remittance companies that operate as conduits for unlawful money transfers, especially for drug traffickers, because many are suspected of evading bank-reporting requirements.
    — Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026
Definition of conduits
Noun
  • But its owner, Hiro Yonekawa, packs way more into its two rooms, which are full of mostly vintage clothes like mint Burberry trenches (for around $300), graphic tees, men’s dress shirts and women’s tops, hats and handbags.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • French authorities wanted to honor the ‘’blood spilled″ during WWI by Muslim soldiers who died in trenches of Verdun and beyond to defend France, Hafiz said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Definition of trenches
Noun
  • The rush was captured in images and videos that showed migrants swimming or floating on tubes from the Moroccan side Thursday and others breaking through a gate on land and running into the Spanish city.
    — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 31 July 2026
  • Despite being confined to her bed, covered in tubes, tangled in wires, despite being separated by gloves and masks and isolation gowns, our laughter permeated all those barriers.
    — Anna Tsioulias, STAT, 29 July 2026
Definition of tubes
Noun
  • Hundreds, thousands of solar panels are distributed like macropixels among ravines, pampas, slopes, and wherever there’s room for them.
    — Cristina Dorador, The Dial, 14 July 2026
  • The gardens were developed in the 1930s on a site featuring natural ravines, now crossed by suspension bridges and laced with trails.
    — Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2026
Definition of ravines
Noun
  • A week later and there’s been a whole investigation into the YouTuber and author for use of generative AI in his videos, writing, and research across multiple YouTube channels and books.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Rendered in a tomato color palette, the retro motif gets a fresh update that channels ‘60s charm with a decidedly summer-ready twist.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of channels

Browse Nearby Words

trough
troughs
trounce
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on troughs

Nglish: Translation of troughs for Spanish Speakers

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