as in sediment
soil made chiefly of loose sedimentary material that is carried by flowing water and that sinks to the bottom of a river, pond, etc.
Related Words
Relevance
as in to fur
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 silt
ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Formed by glacial activity, the fertile landscape along the Grand River—soil rich in a mix of silt, clay and sand—is ideal for vineyards.
—Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 16 Apr. 2026
Literary Hub, 22 May 2025
All the while, the Guadalquivir River, which allowed ships into Seville, began to silt up, forcing trade southward to the coastal town of Cádiz.
—Walker Mimms, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for silt
Noun
The cemetery overlooks the scenic Loess Hills, created by windblown silt deposits that reach up to 200 feet high (about 61 meters) and line the river along the Iowa border for 200 miles (322 kilometers).
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Formed by glacial activity, the fertile landscape along the Grand River—soil rich in a mix of silt, clay and sand—is ideal for vineyards.
—Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
Its primary purpose is not to control people or accumulate power, except perhaps incrementally, in the form of a kind of silting up of canonical importance.
—Literary Hub, 22 May 2025
All the while, the Guadalquivir River, which allowed ships into Seville, began to silt up, forcing trade southward to the coastal town of Cádiz.
—Walker Mimms, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for silt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silt
Noun
-
The recent images also reveal layers of Mars' complex geological past across the region, suggesting Shalbatana Vallis may once have been even deeper before gradually filling in with sediments, ash and other material over time.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
15 May 2026
-
The phenomenon, caused by an uncharacteristically low number of tropical storms and hurricanes coupled with unseasonally light offshore winds, allowed sediment to settle closer to the ocean floor and the water to exhibit its true vibrant turquoise color.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Purple blossoms furred the redbuds along his driveway; here and there beneath them were sprays of yellow forsythia.—
Jamie Quatro,
Harper's Magazine,
2 Aug. 2024
-
The foils can also retract, meaning that the boats aren't at risk of marine growth, which could otherwise fur them up.—
Julia Buckley,
CNN,
28 July 2022
Noun
-
What used to be open water was heading towards alluvium, and oblivion.—
Rob Crossan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The tunnel will traverse multiple difficult subsoil layers: a surface of historical and active landfill materials, including spoil from London tunneling projects and decades-old power station fly ash, a thick layer of alluvium composed of silts, clays, and peat, and, finally, highly variable chalk.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
Verb
-
After all, Ngannou famously left the UFC after a bitter contract dispute, making his entrance as news alerts about McGregor flooded social media.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
-
The name Gathright Dam pays tribute to Thomas Gathright, the man whose land the Jackson River flooded prior to the impoundment being built.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Officials said the feature continued downward into the loess beneath the prehistoric site.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Many fatalities were linked to the collapse of yaodongs—homes carved into loess hillsides.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Campaign financing, taking money from special interests, leads not only to gridlock but also to an inability for political parties to act in good faith on their constituents’ behalf.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
5 May 2026
-
Democrats largely oppose Trump’s efforts to seize more control over elections, and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Trump’s demands would gridlock the chamber.—
Lisa Mascaro,
Twin Cities,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When Hurricane Milton swamped the region in which Hunters Point is situated in October 2024, batteries were able to send electricity to lights, refrigerators and other essentials.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
None of the other passengers put their lifejackets on as a sudden Sierra storm swamped the boat.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Because bananas are made of organic materials, let microorganisms and detritus eaters (like red wiggler composting worms) do their job.—
Haniya Rae,
Martha Stewart,
5 May 2026
-
There were about two hundred people gathered in the wreckage of the lobby, which was full of seawater and detritus.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Silt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silt. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
