distributaries

noun

plural of distributary
as in tributaries

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distributaries
  1. tributaries
  2. canals
  3. affluents
  4. waterways
  5. watercourses
Noun
  • But stocks have got so low that, in 2024, the Alaska government, in conjunction with Canada, shut down fishing for king salmon on the Yukon River and its Canadian tributaries for seven years—one complete king-salmon life cycle.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The altitude offers incredible vistas of the wetlands that border the Tanana River, one of the largest tributaries of the mighty Yukon.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of tributaries
Noun
  • In antiquity, Rome’s aqueducts and China’s canals and flood-control works were the pipelines of centuries of hegemony.
    — NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Much of it flows through the Central Arizona Project, the series of canals that run from the river to the Phoenix and Tucson areas.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of canals
Noun
  • On that note, the ACRC survey reported that 52% of affluents were disappointed with the options presented by luxury brands.
    — Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of affluents
Noun
  • The Environment Georgia Research & Policy Center presented findings from a recent report examining PFAS contamination in Georgia's waterways.
    — Rashad Williams, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The other two organizations focus on protecting waterways and aquatic ecosystems, including the Harpeth River, where Janson lives.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of waterways
Noun
  • At the same time, there are riparian natives — those that grow along watercourses — which may need regular attention in terms of water needs for many years after planting.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025
Definition of watercourses
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.

Browse Nearby Words

distressingly
distributaries
distributary
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distributaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distributaries. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All