: a passage for surplus water to run over or around an obstruction (such as a dam)
Examples of spillway in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Two separate task forces blamed the catastrophe partly on weak dam safety standards, which allowed owner Boyce Hydro to operate the dams with spillways too small to handle a major flood while pleading poverty as regulators pushed for upgrades.
—
CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
The Antrim County Operator of Dams, in a Facebook post on April 12, said all the dams spillways were fully open, as well as those at Elk Rapids.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Afterward, Dole proposed to donate the dam, reservoir and ditch system to the state in exchange for an agreement to repair the spillway to meet and maintain dam safety standards.
—Audrey McAvoy, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Afterward, Dole proposed to donate the dam, reservoir and ditch system to the state in exchange for an agreement to repair the spillway to meet and maintain dam safety standards.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spillway
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.
CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
The Antrim County Operator of Dams, in a Facebook post on April 12, said all the dams spillways were fully open, as well as those at Elk Rapids.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Afterward, Dole proposed to donate the dam, reservoir and ditch system to the state in exchange for an agreement to repair the spillway to meet and maintain dam safety standards.
—Audrey McAvoy, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Afterward, Dole proposed to donate the dam, reservoir and ditch system to the state in exchange for an agreement to repair the spillway to meet and maintain dam safety standards.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spillway
Cite this Entry
“Spillway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spillway. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spillway
noun
spill·way
ˈspil-ˌwā 
: a passage for extra water to run over or around a dam
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
