Definition of estuarynext
as in bay
a part of a body of water that extends beyond the general shoreline the city sits on the shores of a deep estuary where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 estuary Pipework at the Humber Refinery, operated by Phillips 66, and the Humber estuary near South Killingholme, north-east England on March 11, 2026. Ian King, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2026 But the estuary, which had been silting up since the 11th century, had different ideas. Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2026 In a new study, Daniel Petras, a biochemist at UC Riverside — together with 29 researchers from around the world — looked at 2,315 seawater samples collected from estuaries, coastal regions, coral reefs and the open ocean. Susanne Rust follow, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026 These sharks are thought to be bottom-feeders, preying on fish that frequent the floors of rivers and estuaries. John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for estuary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for estuary
Noun
  • The body of her friend, fellow USF doctoral student Zamil Limon, was in another garbage bag found two days before that on a bridge over the bay.
    Mike Schneider, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2026
  • The bay colt also won Florida's Fountain of Youth Stakes in February, where Chief Wallabee took second.
    Alex Sundby, CBS News, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • Bleary-eyed coverage that kicks off before sunrise in the States, with gusts off the firth and cut lines that can swallow a top 10 in an hour.
    Jenny Catlin, New York Times, 9 July 2025
  • On the distant horizon was a cluster of faint street lights, a small town hunkered on the far side of the firth.
    Douglas Stuart, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2020

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

More from Merriam-Webster on estuary

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