slough 1 of 3

noun

ˈslü How to pronounce slough (audio)
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)

as in to shuffle
to move heavily or clumsily the unpleasant task of sloughing through the muck to retrieve the ball

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slough

3 of 3

verb (2)

ˈsləf How to pronounce slough (audio)
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

Synonym Chooser

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
The platform calls for healthcare for all, democracy for all and to free Palestine, among a slew of other demands. — Emily R. Condon, USA Today, 30 July 2026 Data centers have become a political lightning rod in North Texas, with both cities and county officials scrambling to enact regulations alongside a slew of land purchases, proposals from developers and immense pressure from residents. — Mary Ella Hastings july 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 July 2026
Verb
Their body care kit gets to the root of smooth skin with a trio of products including a pre-sluff bar that rids it of lotions and oils, a washable textured mitt that sloughs off dead cells and a eucalyptus-scented body lotion that loads it with hydration while making your bathroom smell like a spa. — Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026 Dirt, body oil, and dead skin cells sloughed off during bathing also contribute to this sticky residue. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for slough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slough
  1. marsh
  2. shuffle
  3. shed
  4. wetland
  5. stumble
  6. swamp
  7. stomp
  8. barge
Noun
  • During this time, bogs, marshes, and other wetlands, historically seen as disease-ridden and deleterious to human health, were reevaluated by scientists and conservationists as valuable wildlife habitats.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026
  • When the boat leaves the shallow saw grass marshes for a 90-foot-deep natural sinkhole called Gator Lake, get your camera ready.
    — Tracey Teo, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of marsh
Verb
  • Since 2021, he and his former financing company Creative Wealth Media, which declared bankruptcy in 2023, have been named in at least four lawsuit accusing him of shuffling investments around various entities to repay outstanding loans.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026
  • Giants manager Tony Vitello went another way, shuffling a few papers before heading up the tunnel to the home clubhouse.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of shuffle
Verb
  • Newly filed city documents shed light on the potential for new housing in Crown Center as it’s poised to transform into a Royals ballpark district.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • This is, as a nature documentary playing in the background during a scene suggests, his equivalent of a spider molting, shedding its old exoskeleton to hopefully emerge — stronger and more resilient — into adulthood.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 July 2026
Definition of shed
Noun
  • The essence of the park’s design focuses on preserving wetlands and adding visually low-impact architecture, according to Brown.
    — Noah Daly July 31, Idaho Statesman, 31 July 2026
  • The trail off that parking lot is wooded and crosses miles of wetlands and river swamp with multiple bridges and places where people can fish, canoe, and kayak.
    — Dateline NBC, NBC news, 30 July 2026
Definition of wetland
Verb
  • Ella Rubin stars as Annie Jacobson, a high schooler who stumbles into a mystery when her grandfather dies and leaves her an island in Canada—along with a cryptic letter.
    — Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026
  • The story is compelling as ever and a reminder that Xbox stumbled onto some real magic back in 2001.
    — Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of stumble
Noun
  • The trail off that parking lot is wooded and crosses miles of wetlands and river swamp with multiple bridges and places where people can fish, canoe, and kayak.
    — Dateline NBC, NBC news, 30 July 2026
  • What Can't Be Copied If credentials were the old swamp and AI just drained it, the question left standing is, well, what is left to defend?
    — Alli Kushner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of swamp
Verb
  • Next door at CedarCreek Estate Winery, the Block 5 chardonnay and Block 4 pinot noir have their own cult following, assisted by highland cows that fertilize and stomp the vineyard soil, and a flock of free range chickens that eat the small pests.
    — Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 29 July 2026
  • On that day, Simpson and other players are accused of kicking and stomping the victim and again poking him with a broomstick.
    — Joe Brandt, CBS News, 29 July 2026
Definition of stomp
Verb
  • Rap was part of the New York environment now, barging from boom boxes and windows.
    — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
  • Midfielder Joao Neves looks to move the ball on quickly, finding Bruno Fernandes with a quick pass, but Rodri is aware and instantly closes him down, barging him off the ball and returning the ball to his centre-back with minimal fuss.
    — Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of barge

Phrases Containing slough

Browse Nearby Words

slouching
slough
sloughed
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Cite this Entry

“Slough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slough. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on slough

Nglish: Translation of slough for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slough

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