embankments

noun

plural of embankment
as in levees
a bank of earth constructed to control water the embankment is steep, so be careful walking along the ridge

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 embankments Rising sea levels push salt water inland through rivers, canals and shallow groundwater; storm surges cause embankments to collapse, allowing water to seep into soils, rivers and groundwater systems. — Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, The Dial, 7 July 2026 Riding mowers are not designed for wet conditions and are more likely to roll on embankments. — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 June 2026 Been there as communities have tried to tame the mighty waters with levees and embankments, and battled 100-pound invasive fish. — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 31 May 2026 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, 23 Apr. 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 On embankments, consider using pieces of large wood chips interspersed with rock, gravel, paving stones or any other inorganic material. — The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026 It was shortened again by the construction of embankments in 1835 or 1836 and in 1838. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embankments
  1. levees
  2. dams
Noun
  • The town is worried about the effect the wall would have on a series of berms and levees built in the 1970s and 1980s along the Rio Grande and tributaries to combat flooding.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
  • In the early hours of July 13, 1951 — a day now remembered as Black Friday — water breached the levees protecting Argentine, then swept into Armourdale, the West Bottoms, and the Fairfax industrial district.
    — Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
Definition of levees
Noun
  • Every four years the American Society of Civil Engineers marks the nation's roads, bridges, dams and water systems the way a schoolmaster works through a stack of exam papers.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • The Bureau of Reclamation, which manages dams along the river, now plans to provide an additional $100 million for water conservation programs in the four upstream states, paying farmers and ranchers who agree to use less.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of dams

Browse Nearby Words

embankment
embankments
embanks
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Embankments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embankments. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on embankments

Nglish: Translation of embankments for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of mitigate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All