distributary

Definition of distributarynext

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 distributary Delhi gets its water from the Yamuna river, while Kolkata uses water from the Hooghly river, a distributary of the Ganga. Sanjana Venkatesan, Quartz India, 2 July 2019 By the 1950s, scientists noticed the consequences: more water was going down the Atchafalaya River, a distributary of the Mississippi. Boyce Upholt, Time, 9 May 2019 In 1831, a pathway was dredged between a distributary of the Mississippi and the Red, leading to the formation of the present Atchafalaya river channel. Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com, 12 Dec. 2017 Saline water has long been invading the delta, but because of the drought there is not enough fresh water in the river and its distributaries to dilute the seawater. Jane Perlez, New York Times, 28 May 2016 To the left another plume is coming from the Atchafalaya River, a distributary of the Mississippi. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 30 July 2013
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distributary
Noun
  • Recent water, fish and sediment samples from Mekong tributaries had high levels of dangerous heavy metals, such as arsenic, mercury, lead and cadmium, from rare earth mining, said Warakorn Maneechuket, a researcher at Thailand’s Naresuan University.
    Anton L. Delgado, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Explore the Paraná’s tributaries in the hotel’s launch.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • During this time, alligators can become more active, especially near lakes, ponds, canals and other bodies of water.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
  • At the same time as Panama’s government is earning more money from the newly brisk business in the canal, its shipping industry is being confronted by the geopolitical struggle in the same way as those of other countries.
    Alma Solís, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The comments come amid growing concerns that the threat of mines in the key waterway, as well as the standoff between the two navies, will leave the crucial trade route effectively blocked for some time.
    Sean Nevin, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
  • But with the waterway shut for nearly two months, Asian policymakers now have to urgently rethink their energy strategies.
    Julius Cesar Trajano, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • After school, the siblings liked to climb in a willow that was in front of their home, hiding from their parents beneath the sweep of its branches.
    Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Only in a few of the paintings is the mark clearly discernible as the crooked branch of a tree.
    Ben Davis, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • So far, the city has completed several major components of the Springbrook improvement project, including adding in an ultraviolet disinfection system that replaced the facility’s old chlorine disinfection system and adding new pumps at the influent pump station.
    Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The project, which was listed as the third highest priority in the Facilities Plan, included installing new screenings and grit removal facilities, demolishing an existing influent pump station and installing a new pump station, and making other improvements, according to a staff report.
    Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Father and son were swept away by a landslide in the city of Arequipa in a neighborhood built directly over an ancient natural watercourse.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
  • 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distributary. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster