DIKES Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

dikes 1 of 2

noun

plural of dike

as in levees

a bank of earth constructed to control water an elaborate system of dikes built to protect the lowlands from the relentless onslaught of the sea

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in ditches

a long narrow channel dug in the earth water flowed along the dike to the small pond

Synonyms & Similar Words

dikes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of dike

as in fences

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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 dikes

Noun

In Colombia’s Ciénaga Grande, roads and dikes disrupted the flow of seawater and freshwater from the 1950s onward, contributing to one of the largest mangrove die-offs on record. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 Historical records indicate that dikes were deliberately breached during a military conflict, allowing the swollen Yellow River to inundate the city. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026 City officials warned residents in the vicinity of the dikes to prepare to evacuate. — Kansas City Public Library Staff, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 Constructing protective structures such as levees and dikes can help, as can preserving natural landscapes, such as wetlands and estuaries that can act as a natural sponge to absorb floodwaters, in and near the cities, Shao and her colleagues wrote. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026 The core examples are nuclear power plants, dams, dikes. — Connor Greene, Time, 8 Apr. 2026 Officials had worried that a system of dikes along the Skagit River would fail, and potentially inundate parts of Mount Vernon, a riverside town of about 35,000. — Evan Bush, NBC news, 13 Dec. 2025 Chinese mitten crabs burrow into levees, dikes, and stream banks, increasing erosion and threatening flood-control systems. — Staff Author Updated, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025 While the new dikes are funded by the federal government, the extensive reforestation efforts are privately covered by a non-governmental organization. — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dikes

Noun

The state is pre-positioning more than 4 million sandbags, more than 50,000 feet of portable flood barriers and 400,000 tons of rock to repair levees.

— Adrian Florido, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
At 18 feet, low-lying rural areas outside the levees begin to flood.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of levees

Verb

Apple hedges across the supply chain, but these price rises illustrate systemic long-term pressure rather than short-term variations.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
For example, low-cost Irish airline Ryanair currently hedges 80% of its jet fuel costs, giving them a significant competitive advantage when fuel prices increase.

— Tiago Ventura, Time, 26 June 2026

Definition of hedges

Noun

This crane had nearly gone extinct before, driven in part by an explosion of new hydroelectric dams in the early 20th century, whose construction dried out local wetlands.

— Sara Herschander, Vox, 22 Oct. 2026
In 2025, Hydro-Quebec, a company that generates electricity from dams across the province of Quebec, secured a deal with local regulators to use Maine as a corridor to supply clean energy to Massachusetts.

— Stefano Tijerina, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of dams

Noun

Sharp suits and smoking jackets came alongside cocoon shapes, functional hunting jackets, double-breasted trenches and generous winter coats, with longer lengths and full collars suggesting the urban style of the 1980s and ’90s.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Once summer’s squarely behind her, the royal wears a steady rotation of coat dresses, trenches, blazers, and every other type of outerwear under the sun.

— Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of trenches

Noun

Water began to flood the streets of Baja California Sur on Monday hours after residents boarded up homes and set up embankments as Hurricane Polo bore down on the peninsula Monday, threatening high winds, floods and mudslides.

— Megan Janetsky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
How levees work Levees are earthen embankments positioned parallel to a river that effectively raise the height of the banks of the river to prevent overflow when the river swells.

— Kaleigh Yost, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of embankments

Noun

Officials urged displaced residents to check on their properties, clear gutters and remove debris before the rain arrives.

— Jasmine Viel, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Rural roads lack curbs, gutters and sidewalks, and small farms with livestock are allowed and encouraged.

— Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of gutters

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“Dikes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dikes. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dikes

noun

verb

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