as in headwater
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in subordinate
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tributary
Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 May 2025
Its main stem flows 2,350 miles from the headwaters at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, touching 10 states and spreading out into many more with its tributaries.
—Amy Graff, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Catherine Porter, New York Times, 6 June 2023
This was a tributary version of the break-up and floe of ice that historically has happened in all the Great Lakes.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 27 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Noun
Most of that decline happened in the river’s tributaries and lakes, where the animal’s range has decreased by 91 percent.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 May 2025
Its main stem flows 2,350 miles from the headwaters at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, touching 10 states and spreading out into many more with its tributaries.
—Amy Graff, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Adjective
The edges of the country roads are decorated by tributary statues and banners flashing the faces of Allied soldiers who died in the fight.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 6 June 2023
This was a tributary version of the break-up and floe of ice that historically has happened in all the Great Lakes.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 27 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tributary
Noun
-
As bodies of water, rivers already have headwaters, mouths and arms.—
Valorie Castellanos Clark,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
-
The utility’s leaders defend the project and say the utility has spent $30 million across dozens of projects to offset the environmental impacts of the reservoir expansion, including stream restoration on the headwaters of the Colorado River.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The 6th Ranger Training Battalion belongs to the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade which is a subordinate brigade of the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
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The company kept the HBO brand, of course, as subordinate under the Max umbrella.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Because independent agencies are creatures of Congress housed within the executive branch, there is long-standing disagreement among scholars about just how much power the president should have over them.—
Claire B. Wofford,
The Conversation,
13 June 2025
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The Smithsonian is not part of the executive branch, and the president does not choose its Board of Regents.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
Noun
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From April 24 to May 4, the Fair Grounds Race Course will come alive with the colorful sights and sounds of Jazz Fest as 500,000 fans descend upon the bayou to enjoy good music, good food and offerings from local artisans.—
Rachel DeSantis,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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From playwright Kristen Adele Calhoun, Black Cypress Bayou is set on a hot summer night in Texas, where Vernita Manifold (Kimberly Scott) summons her two daughters down to the bayou with a secret too big to keep.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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And gazing out at the magnificent views, as hummingbirds and orioles encircle the feeders.—
Irv Erdos,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 June 2025
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Light feeders, such as leafy greens, may not need any fertilizer when grown in melon pits; however, melons and other heavy feeders usually require light applications of supplemental fertilizer throughout the growing season.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
Our research identifies a critical shortfall in AI training provision: AI education in the U.K. screen sector is currently more ‘informal’ than ‘formal’, and many workers – particularly freelancers – lack access to resources that would support them to develop skills complementary to AI.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
8 June 2025
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Develop the sector to build skills complementary to AI.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
8 June 2025
Noun
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Yerevan has since sought to diversify its defense sources, reducing arms imports from Russia to as low as 10 percent by 2024.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Climate change and shifting food sources are also causing species-wide population declines, the experts said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
In his 1985 report, Popplewell cited the lack of fire extinguishers or clearly signposted evacuation routes as a contributory factor, along with the locked exit gates and no one knowing who was in overall control of the matchday operation.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
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The news comes in the wake of health officials announcing that Arakawa died at 65 from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare condition that comes from contact with rodents, and Hackman subsequently died at 95 from heart disease, with Alzheimer's as a significant contributory factor.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributary. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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