as in ditch
a deep, wide excavation that is usually filled with water and that goes around the walls of a place (such as a castle) to protect it from being attacked
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Recent Examples of moat
The two competitive moats that software CEOs relied on for decades—the inability to throw money at a problem to catch up, and customer lock-in through switching costs—are both gone, Horowitz argued.
—
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
This control was reflected in the layout of the site, in which workshop areas–identified by furnaces and bronze artifacts—were enclosed by earthen walls and moats, suggesting oversight and protection.
—Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The lawsuit also claims Vertix’s poor work resulted in broken sump pumps, areas of water leakage, a falling pipe, exposed metal ties, peeling paint, faulty caulking, rust, and salt water leaching from the habitat’s upper pool into the moat, among others.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Paul Faust, who lives in the Darlington area of Ligonier Township, has a small tributary to the Loyalhanna Creek in his backyard, but on Friday, that run was acting less like a stream and more like a moat.
—Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for moat
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
This control was reflected in the layout of the site, in which workshop areas–identified by furnaces and bronze artifacts—were enclosed by earthen walls and moats, suggesting oversight and protection.
—Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The lawsuit also claims Vertix’s poor work resulted in broken sump pumps, areas of water leakage, a falling pipe, exposed metal ties, peeling paint, faulty caulking, rust, and salt water leaching from the habitat’s upper pool into the moat, among others.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Paul Faust, who lives in the Darlington area of Ligonier Township, has a small tributary to the Loyalhanna Creek in his backyard, but on Friday, that run was acting less like a stream and more like a moat.
—Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for moat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moat
Noun
-
If reaching a safe shelter is not possible, either crouch down in your car and cover your head, or leave your vehicle and seek refuge in a low-lying area like a ditch or ravine.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Apr. 2026
-
If reaching a safe shelter is not possible, either crouch down in your car and shield your head, or leave your vehicle and find shelter in a ditch or ravine.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Her body was found on the property, which Pennel sold last year, in January while a worker was digging a trench, ESPN reported.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
-
An off-white trench and leather loafers keep the palette polished.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Constructing protective structures such as levees and dikes can help, as can preserving natural landscapes, such as wetlands and estuaries that can act as a natural sponge to absorb floodwaters, in and near the cities, Shao and her colleagues wrote.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2026
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The dikes would consist of walls surrounding the city, separating it from the lagoon, Lionello said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Stage one willl improve flow through the creek that runs down the boundary between Midlothian and Crestwood, including a major improvement to the culvert at 143rd Street and Linder Avenue, Buerger said.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
In that crash, the driver lost control of the bus after hitting a driveway culvert off the right side of a rural road.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Great roles and performances, but, ha-ha, Phoenix earned his first Academy Award for Joker in 2020.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
-
But funny ha-ha peculiar, just like the director.—
John Waters,
Vulture,
3 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The reserve features high, broken cliffs and deep ravines on headlands overlooking the ocean.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
-
When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The young mallards were spotted swimming at the bottom of a gutter, 3 feet below a street on the outskirts of Chester, England, on Wednesday, April 22.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Preservationists, the town and the property owner appear to have been at a stalemate since 2018, and walls are now covered in invasive vines, windows are broken out, gutters are dangling and paint has peeled off windowsills.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Moat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moat. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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