ditches 1 of 2

Definition of ditchesnext
plural of ditch
as in trenches
a long narrow channel dug in the earth after skidding on the ice, our car went right into the ditch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

ditches

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of ditch

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 ditches
Noun
Between forays into the shallows females rest in the cover of small ditches and cuts near shallow-water breaklines and river channels in six to 10 feet of water. John Phillips, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026 Work in Del Mar includes the installation of drainage ditches within the railroad right-of-way between Sixth Street and Coast Boulevard. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026 The camera angles were switching between the deer and Mott, who was out of view in the area of ditches near the fence for a time, Washington said. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 12 May 2026 In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger. Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 4 May 2026 Zaragoza stationed his men on the high ground, hidden behind cacti, behind walls of dilapidated forts, in ditches. Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 May 2026 During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk. Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 3 May 2026 On and around the dry lake bed, water gushes from wells into ditches to fields of tomatoes, cotton, almonds, grapes and other crops. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 Lupines flourish in ditches and on highway embankments—especially north of Duluth along Highway 61, the Minnesota scenic byway that traces Lake Superior's north shore. Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Midwest Living, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
This week, Charli XCX ditches the dancefloor on a fuzzy rock song, J Balvin and Ryan Castro make their case for song of the summer with an aerobic track, and Little Simz spits atop a trap beat, once again solidifying her rap icon status. Rolling Stone, 8 May 2026 The $99 Fitbit Air ditches the display, relying instead on subtle haptics and passive tracking to deliver a quieter, less intrusive experience. Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 7 May 2026 If the Supreme Court rules for Louisiana and ditches Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and ends the majority-minority district requirement, what’s your next move in Annapolis? David Weigel, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026 OpenAI ditches video generation app Sora, and loses $1 billion from Disney. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026 Just ditches her completely because of peer pressure from his rich friends. Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026 Season 2 ditches the courtroom for a company retreat, trading the isolated environment of a trial for the isolated environment of an offsite (at a ranch just north of Los Angeles). Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2026 Nicholson wrote that the Jim Crow-era murder musical is the best kind of smart filmmaking, a barn-burner about religion and art and race that ditches the speeches for scenes of action and romance. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026 Meet the Acela Trucks Dispatcher 4×4, which ditches the four-door/short-bed arrangement found on the standard Gladiator for a single cab and a massive 7’x5′ flat-load bed. Byron Hurd, The Drive, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ditches
Noun
  • In the massive world of the NFL trenches, the domain of the largest of all professional athletes, Aaron Donald was an undersized anomaly.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May 2026
  • The Russian recruitment efforts have typically promised that university students can serve as drone pilots without risking their lives in bloody infantry assaults on Ukrainian trenches and fortifications.
    Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • After New Year’s our mother dumps it, with all the glossy families and chirpy letters, in the trash.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
  • After Frankie's fiancé dumps her before their wedding, she and George embark on a trip to Tofino, on what would have been Frankie's honeymoon.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • Try the Storm Chaser, which sends you into a zero-gravity fall, catches you in a funnel, then discards you into a pool below.
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 18 Feb. 2026
  • At the same time, Gans discards the psychological and spatial logic that gave meaning to the original telling’s dream-like sense of disorientation.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Simpson said property owners should regularly clear their roofs and gutters, maintain debris-free space around the property, and have plans mapped out for what to take, such as pets and medicines, if told to quickly evacuate.
    Jim Turner, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026
  • The damage would cost you way more than cleaning your gutters, which averages $160, ranging from $118 to $225.
    Hiranmayi Srinivasan, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • As Raskar explained that in India, digital public infrastructure is leading to a reinvention of payment systems, Rai mentioned the levels of adoption of device technology, which leaves the population more open to apps.
    John Werner, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
  • Johnson’s Anaia is much sweeter, and though there’s some ferocity inside her too, the movie leaves her in a compassionate, optimistic place.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • An oil tanker unloads crude oil at a terminal at the port in Qingdao, in China's eastern Shandong province on March 11, 2026.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
  • After his dreams are all but dashed, Shah unloads on himself.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Madeira’s cliffs and ravines are difficult enough that many walking holidays there are guided and focused on one part of the island, including the eight-mile forest hike through Ribeiro Frio.
    Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 11 May 2026
  • The manhunt has so far been contained to Stewart County, where search crews are up against an immediate terrain of steep hills with deep ravines or hollows, the sheriff said.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • Also, the president's party typically loses seats in midterm elections.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 15 May 2026
  • The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ditches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ditches. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on ditches

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