as in headwaters
a stream that flows into a larger body of water
the Amazon and its more than 1,000 known tributaries form the world's largest drainage basin
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Recent Examples of tributaries
Rough weather rolled over the Colorado community of Evergreen on Wednesday night, swelling Bear Creek and tributaries and tossing debris and mud into homes and downtown.
—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
The property features over a mile of frontage along Fall River and controls two of the river’s primary spring-fed tributaries — Spring Creek and Lava Creek, according to Hall and Hall.
—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
23 June 2026
For more precise information, Three Rivers Waterkeeper, a nonprofit that helps protect and restore the water quality of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers and their surrounding watersheds, samples the rivers and tributaries weekly each summer as part of its Swim Guide program.
—
Daniel Bain,
The Conversation,
22 June 2026
That compact was adopted in 1943 by Colorado, the headwaters of the Republican and several tributaries, and Nebraska and Kansas, the two down-river states.
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Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
The water, too, was wild—the Allegheny and its tributaries had yet to be dammed, and Flag Swamp was noted as one of the last hideouts for beavers in the state.
—
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
In Lake Michigan, the chief source of drinking water for Chicago and its suburbs, the pellets spread from tributaries and pour out of dozens of sewage treatment plants ringing the lake.
—
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2026
The road runs alongside the Madeira River — one of the Amazon River’s main tributaries that has suffered from droughts that disrupt cargo transport.
—
ABC News,
27 May 2026
In Belgium, culvert removals in the Anlier forest are reconnecting smaller tributaries that play an important role in local biodiversity.
—
Radina Gigova,
CNN Money,
27 May 2026
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
The property features over a mile of frontage along Fall River and controls two of the river’s primary spring-fed tributaries — Spring Creek and Lava Creek, according to Hall and Hall.
—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
23 June 2026
For more precise information, Three Rivers Waterkeeper, a nonprofit that helps protect and restore the water quality of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers and their surrounding watersheds, samples the rivers and tributaries weekly each summer as part of its Swim Guide program.
—
Daniel Bain,
The Conversation,
22 June 2026
That compact was adopted in 1943 by Colorado, the headwaters of the Republican and several tributaries, and Nebraska and Kansas, the two down-river states.
—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
The water, too, was wild—the Allegheny and its tributaries had yet to be dammed, and Flag Swamp was noted as one of the last hideouts for beavers in the state.
—
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
In Lake Michigan, the chief source of drinking water for Chicago and its suburbs, the pellets spread from tributaries and pour out of dozens of sewage treatment plants ringing the lake.
—
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2026
The road runs alongside the Madeira River — one of the Amazon River’s main tributaries that has suffered from droughts that disrupt cargo transport.
—
ABC News,
27 May 2026
In Belgium, culvert removals in the Anlier forest are reconnecting smaller tributaries that play an important role in local biodiversity.
—
Radina Gigova,
CNN Money,
27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tributaries
Noun
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Its headwaters are in Indian River County, its mouth in the Atlantic near Jacksonville, which is the furthest place Sanders Fish House delivers its wild catch.
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Lake Assinica in the Broadback headwaters has attracted world-wide attention for its giant squaretails the past two years.
Noun
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Crews — including at least one person captured wearing an old crew shirt from a previous Swift tour — were seen wheeling in greenery and flowers, as well as knobby tree branches and lush foliage.
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Since Independence Day is a federal holiday, most branches of national banks such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo and CitiBank, among others, will be closed on July 4.
Noun
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On that note, the ACRC survey reported that 52% of affluents were disappointed with the options presented by luxury brands.
Noun
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Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned at least twice a week, or every other day during blazing hot weather.
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After five generations, the frequency of these rapid feeders in the population had increased, showing that selection operated even under these highly artificial conditions.
Noun
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The budget is also expected to include additional funding for Fair Fares and NYC Kids RISE, a college savings plan program, sources told The News.
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Late last week, it was reported that Mangione had been in talks with federal prosecutors about a possible plea deal, but that had fallen aside, sources familiar with the matter said.
Cite this Entry
“Tributaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributaries. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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