as in canals
an open man-made passageway for water
the Erie Canal was superseded by a much larger waterway, the New York State Barge Canal
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of waterways
While the project employed 6,000 workers, funding ran out within three years as local critics began raising concerns about the disruption to Florida’s aquifer and waterways.
—
Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026
The decision came after residents launched a social media campaign accusing the county of poisoning waterways and demanding change.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Some states and cities regulate fertilizers because the runoff causes harmful algae blooms in waterways.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
As technology bypasses your territory, your surface waterways will lose their geopolitical leverage.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
River dolphins and endangered Orinoco crocodiles ply its waterways, and over 1,000 freshwater fish and bird species can be found there.
—Antonio MacHado Allison, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2026
The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority is advising people to stay out of local waterways for 48 hours after a power outage at its wastewater treatment plant.
—Michael Guise, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
In addition to quicksand, officials report that harmful algal blooms have also been found in multiple waterways at concentrations at the high end of safe exposure levels.
—Outside, 5 Mar. 2026
The same baffle box designed to protect waterways from pollutants became a trap for an animal those waterways support.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 4 Mar. 2026
Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2026
The decision came after residents launched a social media campaign accusing the county of poisoning waterways and demanding change.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Some states and cities regulate fertilizers because the runoff causes harmful algae blooms in waterways.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
As technology bypasses your territory, your surface waterways will lose their geopolitical leverage.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
River dolphins and endangered Orinoco crocodiles ply its waterways, and over 1,000 freshwater fish and bird species can be found there.
—Antonio MacHado Allison, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2026
The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority is advising people to stay out of local waterways for 48 hours after a power outage at its wastewater treatment plant.
—Michael Guise, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
In addition to quicksand, officials report that harmful algal blooms have also been found in multiple waterways at concentrations at the high end of safe exposure levels.
—Outside, 5 Mar. 2026
The same baffle box designed to protect waterways from pollutants became a trap for an animal those waterways support.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waterways
Noun
-
Manatee season in Florida typically runs from mid-November through March 31, when dropping ocean temperatures send the gentle giants flocking to warmer inland springs and power plant discharge canals.—
Doris Alvarez Cea,
Florida Times-Union,
6 Mar. 2026
-
That project would have covered the Animas and La Plata river valleys with canals, pumps and pipelines.—
David Marston,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Students learn how their water travels from the Sierra Nevada through reservoirs, pipes and aqueducts to finally end up in their homes.—
Molly McCrea,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Architects have found evidence of their use in the pyramids of Egypt and the buildings and aqueducts of the Roman Empire.—
Alcina Johnson Sudagar,
The Conversation,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waterways.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waterways. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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