troughs

plural of trough
1
as in pipes
a long hollow cylinder for carrying a substance (as a liquid or gas) all of the wiring for the converted residential loft is concealed in a vertical trough

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2
as in ditches
a long narrow channel dug in the earth I slid and fell into the trough by the side of the road, scraping my leg

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3
as in gutters
a pipe or channel for carrying off water from a roof the troughs on the eaves of the house were clogged with leaves

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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 troughs Conversely, major troughs in the jetstream will form on either side of that giant ridge, one in the Pacific Northwest and another right over New England. Terry Eliasen, CBS News, 28 May 2026 Peaks, troughs, breaks, beginnings, and endings shape the quality of decisions. Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 Possible mosquito breeding areas can include fish ponds, swimming pools, spas, standing water, tree holes, containers, bird baths, roof gutters, pet water bowls, street gutters, wading pools and watering troughs. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 11 May 2026 Wooden ladder planters with zinc troughs provide an easy way to achieve vertical gardening in small spaces such as patios. Midwest Living, 22 Apr. 2026 Gass said a series of upper-level troughs are expected to influence the region through the week, keeping the temperatures from climbing higher. Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2026 Producers are looking at factors like cost of labor combined with the time and material costs of driving around to check wells or troughs — areas where Ranchbot might be able to lend an assist. Lana Ferguson, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026 Stock tanks, also called cattle troughs, are essentially giant metal water bowls for livestock. Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026 Her seventh novel follows longtime friends Laura Miller and Edmund Putnam, both languishing in personal and professional troughs. Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troughs
Noun
  • Its tendency to rapidly reproduce, forming dense colonies on underwater surfaces, can clog pipes, pumps and critical water infrastructure while disrupting local ecosystems.
    Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026
  • Because Paris’ existing sewers, built during Haussmann’s 19th-century modernization of the city, combine rainwater and wastewater in the same pipes, heavy rain has always sent the overflow straight into the river.
    Camille Knight, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Noun
  • Police and fire rescue experts say this is also serves a reminder to always wear personal flotation devices in and around rivers, creeks, ditches and lakes.
    Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 4 June 2026
  • They're mostly found in the swamps, sloughs, wetlands, and drainage ditches of the western coastal plain, and are occasionally found around rivers and lakes.
    Jack Armstrong, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • Residents, meanwhile, can help the town’s efforts by reducing standing water around their homes, keeping their lawns mowed and trimmed, keeping rain barrels covered or screened, and cleaning their gutters regularly to prevent accumulated water.
    Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
  • Clean gutters and drains, inspect roofs for loose or damaged materials, trim trees and secure outdoor furniture and decorations.
    Stephen Hauptman, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2026
Noun
  • But the outlets require frequent inspections and maintenance when used continuously, which means that one of the four conduits will routinely be offline.
    Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 21 June 2026
  • The Del Mar City Council approved a resolution June 2 setting a June 3 deadline for properties in Work Zone 1 of undergrounding District x1A, which includes San Dieguito Drive and Orbita Road, for property owners to install lateral conduits.
    Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • The research team plans to return to the Diamantina Fracture Zone to survey the rest of the trench in the hopes of finding more whale fossils and new forms of life, and the discovery raises the possibility of learning more about whale evolution by exploring the ocean’s other deep-sea trenches.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 June 2026
  • Similar hard-substrate communities were also observed on rocks in the Aleutian, Kuril‑Kamchatka, Atacama, Puysegur, Atacama, and Mussau trenches.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • The oxygen released in the tank then flows through four silicone supply tubes that are attached to the roach’s spiracles prior to the operation.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 1 July 2026
  • Among the photos were ones of the supermodel admiring the view outside her hospital window and one with tubes taped to her neck and head.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • The gardens were developed in the 1930s on a site featuring natural ravines, now crossed by suspension bridges and laced with trails.
    Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2026
  • The face of the moon never looks the same from one night to the next, as the shifting angle between the moon and sun causes sunlight to sweep across its surface, altering the shadows cast by craters, mountain ranges and ravines.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 23 May 2026
Noun
  • Platforms and distribution channels captured most of the value, while creators focused on reach and frequency.
    Vincentas Grinius, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • The deal is aimed at ensuring that Fox has a means to get its portfolio of sports, news and entertainment channels into viewers’ homes as the traditional pay-TV business continues to erode.
    Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Troughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troughs. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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