as in levees
a bank of earth constructed to control water
the river backed up behind the dam until it formed a new lake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in blocks
to prevent passage through by filling with something
ice floes were damming the river
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fills
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 dams
ABC News, 16 May 2026
Cheaper hydropower Low-head micro hydropower systems can generate up to 100 kilowatts (kW) of electricity at smaller dams and waterways.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
Jackson also hopes to make a movie about the Dambusters Raid, which was an attack on German dams by the Royal Air Force carried out on the night of May 16, 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Three separate dams would be needed across the strait, which is 51 miles (82km) wide at its narrowest, due to the two islands that lie in the middle, with the longest section spanning roughly 24 miles (38 km), said LiveScience.
—Will Barker, TheWeek, 12 May 2026
Government officials have redirected the river’s water from Isfahan to Yazd and other neighboring provinces for agricultural and industrial use, leaving the riverbed surrounding Si-o-Se Pol dry for most of the year, apart from periods when dams are opened to irrigate wheat fields east of Isfahan.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
For the first time, golden mussels, an invasive species of tiny mollusks that can rapidly reproduce and cause millions of dollars in damage to pipes, drinking water plants, irrigation systems and dams — sparking growing concerns across California — have been found in Santa Clara County.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
The original northern site would have required three dams.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 2 May 2026
In the United States these dams were built primarily to ease navigation, mitigate flooding, support irrigation, or generate hydroelectric power.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Glacial outburst floods happen when the ice dams holding back glacial lakes fail, allowing a sudden release of water.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
Drone strikes by the warring parties have targeted civilian infrastructure including hospitals, dams, schools, markets and displacement camps.
—ABC News, 16 May 2026
Cheaper hydropower Low-head micro hydropower systems can generate up to 100 kilowatts (kW) of electricity at smaller dams and waterways.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
Jackson also hopes to make a movie about the Dambusters Raid, which was an attack on German dams by the Royal Air Force carried out on the night of May 16, 1943 by 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Three separate dams would be needed across the strait, which is 51 miles (82km) wide at its narrowest, due to the two islands that lie in the middle, with the longest section spanning roughly 24 miles (38 km), said LiveScience.
—Will Barker, TheWeek, 12 May 2026
Government officials have redirected the river’s water from Isfahan to Yazd and other neighboring provinces for agricultural and industrial use, leaving the riverbed surrounding Si-o-Se Pol dry for most of the year, apart from periods when dams are opened to irrigate wheat fields east of Isfahan.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
For the first time, golden mussels, an invasive species of tiny mollusks that can rapidly reproduce and cause millions of dollars in damage to pipes, drinking water plants, irrigation systems and dams — sparking growing concerns across California — have been found in Santa Clara County.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
The original northern site would have required three dams.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 2 May 2026
In the United States these dams were built primarily to ease navigation, mitigate flooding, support irrigation, or generate hydroelectric power.
—Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asked experts to study what happened at the Edenville and Sanford dams.
—ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Glacial outburst floods happen when the ice dams holding back glacial lakes fail, allowing a sudden release of water.
—Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dams
Noun
-
The Stillaguamish Tribe has been buying riverfront land in its traditional territory and removing levees to turn farmland into wetland with the hope of restoring Chinook.—
John Ryan,
NPR,
3 May 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Anthropic's Claude Cowork sits on the other end of the spectrum and blocks autonomous purchases at the policy level.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
-
Jacques blocks them from entering the room, saying that Gil needs her rest.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Whoever fills that seat would also be a winner, said local political strategist Bryan Holladay.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
18 May 2026
-
Under acceleration, the cabin fills with a coarse engine note that sounds sportier than the actual performance suggests.—
Matthew MacConnell,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
In the wake of the 2007 settlement, tents began to appear on the sidewalks, freeway embankments, overpasses, underpasses, civic plazas and public spaces everywhere in Los Angeles.—
Susan Shelley,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The East River Residence, which is suspended on thin columns, stretches across the valley like a bridge between two embankments, letting the terrain flow underneath it like water.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
18 May 2026
-
Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The discovery also plugs a gap in our understanding of Venus's dense atmosphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
13 May 2026
-
Another distinction is its saddle and seatpost, which form a unit that plugs into a corner of the square motor/battery assembly.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Years later, when our lives intersect with children and children’s books, the ice thaws; that old love floods us.—
Mac Barnett,
Longreads,
5 May 2026
-
Neuroscientists Wendy Suzuki, PhD, Samuel Wang, PhD, and Gary Small, MD explain how movement increases blood flow, boosts growth factors like BDNF, and floods the brain with mood-lifting neurochemicals.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Sierro 1000 packs a 1,024-Wh battery, enough to keep a standard refrigerator running for roughly 15 to 20 hours, while the Sierro 2000 doubles capacity to 2,048 Wh for 30 to 40 hours for a standard fridge, or 20 to 30 hours with a larger one.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 May 2026
-
Befitting its origins in traditional retail, Walmart is equipping its physical stores with robotic technology that picks and packs online orders from a storage area stocked with the most popular delivery items for each location.—
Anne D'Innocenzio,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dams.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dams. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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