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
-
The affidavit states that Dunmars parked in front of Hayes’ vehicle, partially blocking her path, before a physical fight allegedly broke out involving Dunmars’ daughter and two of Hayes’ daughters.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
-
The big guy in the doorway stretched out his arms, his hands gripping both sides of the knotty pine planks on either side of the door frame, his body filling the space, blocking our way out.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The delays in filling housing through the city’s lottery have knock-on effects beyond the apartments not going quickly to the people who need them.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
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Start copying Hilary Duff's cover-ready look by filling your cart with the eleven products below, with prices starting at just $28.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Former court clerk pleads guilty Hill pleaded guilty to perjury, obstructing justice and misconduct in office and was sentenced to three years' probation and 100 hours of community service.—
Marlene Lenthang,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
-
Republican voters will choose between challenger Holly Cook and incumbent Ryan Davidson for the Ada County Commission District 1 seat in Tuesday’s primary, with both candidates carrying significant legal histories ranging from bankruptcy to contempt of court to resisting or obstructing officers.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Through a combination of outdoor placements, promotional teams on the streets and airline seatbacks, the distributor’s advertising unit is plugging the company’s multi-channel packages.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
-
On Friday, the Knicks had Shamet to thank for plugging the hole in the starting unit.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Section Two of the Voting Rights Act was written to prevent diminishing the voting power of racial minorities by packing them into one district or spreading them out across many districts.—
Sarah Clifton,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
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Of course, packing two days of qualifying comes with some concessions.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Damming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damming. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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