1
as in blocking
to prevent passage through by filling with something
ice floes were damming the river
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in filling
to close up so that no empty spaces remain
dam up the pipes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of damming
Then, about 20,000 years ago the Laurentide continental glacier moved into the area, pushing rocks, soil, and other debris, eventually damming Pine Creek and forming an expansive lake.
—
Anthony Fredericks, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2026
As these boar and beavers escape, digging up his neighbor’s fields and damming his streams, the two farmers begin to butt heads.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
Designed for a valley miles away from the Sacramento River, the reservoir would pump water through an underground pipe connecting to the river, rather than damming and trapping its water supply.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 17 Jan. 2026
The more Austinites have expanded the surface area of lakes — by damming up the Colorado River with various degrees of success from 1893 to 1960 — the more moisture was available to evaporate into the air.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 4 Jan. 2026
But a combination of river damming, habitat destruction, overfishing and pollution has caused numbers of the southern residents’ preferred prey, Chinook salmon, to plummet since the 1980s.
—Kelso Harper, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
On the tower’s other side, boundless flats of sand and cracked mud spread to the horizon across what was, prior to the river’s damming a century ago, one of Earth’s great green estuaries.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025
That can help identify whether your home is at risk of ice dams, and lead to insulation upgrades and other services to mitigate ice damming in the future.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 11 Dec. 2025
The authors further emphasize that behaviors such as waterfall climbing may be especially vulnerable to environmental pressures, including habitat fragmentation and river damming.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2025
Anthony Fredericks, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2026
As these boar and beavers escape, digging up his neighbor’s fields and damming his streams, the two farmers begin to butt heads.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
Designed for a valley miles away from the Sacramento River, the reservoir would pump water through an underground pipe connecting to the river, rather than damming and trapping its water supply.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 17 Jan. 2026
The more Austinites have expanded the surface area of lakes — by damming up the Colorado River with various degrees of success from 1893 to 1960 — the more moisture was available to evaporate into the air.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 4 Jan. 2026
But a combination of river damming, habitat destruction, overfishing and pollution has caused numbers of the southern residents’ preferred prey, Chinook salmon, to plummet since the 1980s.
—Kelso Harper, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
On the tower’s other side, boundless flats of sand and cracked mud spread to the horizon across what was, prior to the river’s damming a century ago, one of Earth’s great green estuaries.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025
That can help identify whether your home is at risk of ice dams, and lead to insulation upgrades and other services to mitigate ice damming in the future.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 11 Dec. 2025
The authors further emphasize that behaviors such as waterfall climbing may be especially vulnerable to environmental pressures, including habitat fragmentation and river damming.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damming
Verb
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The 6-foot-2, 207-pounder has the short-area quickness, yards-after-the catch ability and run-blocking toughness that coach Kyle Shanahan craves.—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
To wrap up Day 2, the Dolphins took a pair of wide receivers and an in-line blocking tight end with their three picks in the third round.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
It’s expected that the Chargers will shift Slaughter to left guard, filling one of their most pressing needs on the second day of the three-day draft.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
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His music has spanned genres and mediums, with the composer filling various roles, but its through line is its sense of the uncanny and Lopatin’s understanding of how warping sonic textures can tap into surreality.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Eric Havens, 58, of Homewood, pleaded guilty to obstructing an officer in Will County court after fleeing multiple law enforcement officials in October.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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The councilmember was arrested and faces two counts of disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration, police said.—
Melissa Russo,
NBC news,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Afghan Whigs never had a consecutive run since forming in Cincinnati in 1986, taking a 13-year hiatus after plugging into six albums, then regrouping again in 2011, and staying put ever since.—
Tina Eves,
SPIN,
23 Apr. 2026
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The deal is Ascentium’s most recent in more than a dozen acquisitions, plugging a gap in the company’s mainland China coverage while deepening its footprint in hot Southeast Asian growth markets.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There is one thing that can ruin your Euro-trip, though, and that’s not packing efficiently.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Apr. 2026
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Guro Reiten is sitting inside her apartment in Norway, in between spending time with her 5-month-old son and packing her life away.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Damming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damming. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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