slough 1 of 3

variants also slew or slue
Definition of sloughnext
as in marsh
spongy land saturated or partially covered with water the land for miles around the lake is strewn with ponds, sloughs, and mudflats

Synonyms & Similar Words

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slough

2 of 3

verb (1)

slough

3 of 3

verb (2)

variants also sluff
as in to shed
to cast (a natural bodily covering or appendage) aside the snake is sloughing its old skin

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word slough different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of slough are cast, discard, junk, scrap, and shed. While all these words mean "to get rid of," shed and slough imply a throwing off of something both useless and encumbering and often suggest a consequent renewal of vitality or luster.

shed a bad habit
finally sloughed off the depression

When is it sensible to use cast instead of slough?

The words cast and slough can be used in similar contexts, but cast, especially when used with off, away, or out, implies a forceful rejection or repudiation.

cast off her friends

When might discard be a better fit than slough?

The meanings of discard and slough largely overlap; however, discard implies the letting go or throwing away of something that has become useless or superfluous though often not intrinsically valueless.

discard old clothes

How do scrap and junk relate to one another, in the sense of slough?

Both scrap and junk imply throwing away or breaking up as worthless in existent form.

scrap all the old ways
would junk our educational system

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 slough
Noun
Nike can't catch a break despite a slew of recent insider buying from both Hill and outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook, who is a Nike board of member. Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 10 June 2026 The master lawsuit also targets a slew of defendants who have been blamed for overgrown brush, toppled wooden power poles, natural gas explosions and a lack of water, all contributing to the mammoth blaze. Tony Saavedra, Daily News, 10 June 2026
Verb
After sloughing off his final semester the first time around at USC, Lee needed at least three B’s and two A’s. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026 My book tries to slough the stigma from the words, to say it all aloud without shame. Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slough
Noun
  • Iraq’s reservoirs are often near depletion, its southern waterways are dying, and its marshes remain imperilled by the oil industry.
    Nabil Salih, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
  • This would be especially useful in hard-to-access forests, like the black ash marshes of northern Minnesota.
    Cole Premo, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • After starting at right tackle, Lomu flipped to the left side as Will Campbell’s top backup when the Patriots shuffled their O-line personnel with Maye still on the field.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026
  • The state's unique open primary — in which the top two contenders advance to the general election regardless of their party affiliation — was plagued by Democratic in-fighting and scandal that repeatedly shuffled the frontrunners.
    Kyler Alvord, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • On Thursday, the Nasdaq clawed back some ground after shedding more than 7% since hitting an all-time high on June 1.
    John Ruwitch, NPR, 11 June 2026
  • During a press conference on Sunday, June 7, the mother of two, who embarked on a weight-loss journey and even picked up new sports during her time off, shed some light on her return to the sport.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • But those factors are irrelevant to the question of whether Silverman receives a wetlands permit, the first major step in winning a go-ahead to build.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026
  • That licking instinct may have led Jacobs’s elk to an area known as Flag Swamp, a one-acre wetland filled with blue flag irises and shrubby willow trees.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • Although the discovery has only now been formally studied, cavers from the Czech Speleological Society first stumbled upon the phenomenon in 2022 during an expedition in Vromoner Canyon.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Uber reported strong growth in its third-quarter earnings report on Wednesday, but stumbled on the bottom line after absorbing a $479 million charge for what the company described as undisclosed legal and regulatory matters.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • These many watering holes are reflective of the Lone Star state's varied geographic regions, from bald cypress swamps to mountainous desert lakes.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 16 June 2026
  • From the pine forests and black swamps to the marsh flats and on to the Gulf, the refuge burgeons with life in ways hard to explain to someone who hasn’t been there.
    Jeff VanderMeer, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Suddenly, the trees part and a Tyrannosaurus rex stomps into view.
    RJ Mackenzie, Popular Science, 11 June 2026
  • Jacobs found his elk atop one such rock, defending itself and attempting to stomp his dogs to death.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • The man pulled up in his pickup truck as Belle and Cal got ready to barge into a trailer.
    Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
  • The victims were pillars of the mosque Police said the security guard opened fire when the shooters arrived at the Islamic Center and tried to barge inside.
    Julie Watson, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Slough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slough. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

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