as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
the gulch floods in the spring with the runoff from the mountains, so wait until later in the summer to hike it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gulch
Head right, and there came public land, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest with its creeks and gulches and two-bit towns like Peanut and Beegum.
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Literary Hub,
22 June 2026
The road to the potato patches — where the community grows most of its vegetables — crosses several large gulches that frequently spill tons of rock and soil onto the track, requiring regular maintenance.
—
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
Tucked into the coastal bluffs just off of Highway 1, Calla Lily Valley is a small gulch that explodes with vibrancy this time of year as hundreds of shoulder-high white flowers bloom in unison.
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Gregory Thomas,
San Francisco Chronicle,
2 Mar. 2026
In the 1910s, Bisbee packed some 35 nationalities onto ledges and into its gulches and streets, with Mexican and Balkan miners among the largest groups, most of them working at Phelps Dodge’s Copper Queen Mine.
—
Masha Hamilton,
Longreads,
19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gulch
Literary Hub,
22 June 2026
The road to the potato patches — where the community grows most of its vegetables — crosses several large gulches that frequently spill tons of rock and soil onto the track, requiring regular maintenance.
—
NPR,
4 Apr. 2026
Tucked into the coastal bluffs just off of Highway 1, Calla Lily Valley is a small gulch that explodes with vibrancy this time of year as hundreds of shoulder-high white flowers bloom in unison.
—
Gregory Thomas,
San Francisco Chronicle,
2 Mar. 2026
In the 1910s, Bisbee packed some 35 nationalities onto ledges and into its gulches and streets, with Mexican and Balkan miners among the largest groups, most of them working at Phelps Dodge’s Copper Queen Mine.
—
Masha Hamilton,
Longreads,
19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gulch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gulch
Noun
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Flames crossed west over the Dolores River and made a push up the canyon and onto the rim, Operations Section Chief Toby Cook said in an update Saturday morning.
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Well over four million people visit each year, so those looking to avoid the masses may want to consider heading to the less-popular North Rim of the canyon.
Noun
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When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.
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Reaching the wreckage proved difficult as emergency workers, backed by paramilitary forces, climbed down a steep mountainside to the ravine up to 25 meters (80 feet) deep.
Noun
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From here the route winds south past the town of Telluride, with its legendary skiing and film, jazz and bluegrass festivals, and out to Mesa Verde National Park, where Puebloan people carved gorgeous cliff dwellings in the buttes and gorges.
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Letchworth State Park, recently named Best State Park in USA TODAY’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards, offers 66 miles of hiking trails, a 600-foot gorge and three popular waterfalls.
Noun
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When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.
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From rolling vineyards to lush river valleys, high limestone bluffs to some pretty great lakes, this region of the United States is often overlooked.
Cite this Entry
“Gulch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gulch. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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