dam 1 of 2

noun

ˈdam How to pronounce dam (audio)
Definition of damnext
as in levee
a bank of earth constructed to control water the river backed up behind the dam until it formed a new lake

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dam

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to block
to prevent passage through by filling with something ice floes were damming the river

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fill
to close up so that no empty spaces remain dam up the pipes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dam
Noun
The outburst flood sent more than 13 billion gallons (50 million cubic meters) of water rushing down the mountain, damaging several dams, more than 25,000 buildings and more than 30 bridges. — Umesh Haritashya, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2026 Authorities warn of flooding from a new lake Nepali police issued a fresh alert Friday after receiving information that a dam on the Tibet side had burst. — Niranjan Shrestha, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
That mass of ice and rock dropped from 5,100 to 3,000 meters, damming a river. — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026 Creek bottoms, especially those dammed by beavers, often are good wallow locations. — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dam
  1. levee
  2. block
  3. fill
  4. embankment
  5. obstruct
  6. pack
  7. flood
  8. plug
Noun
  • After Katrina made landfall in Louisiana, the failure of New Orleans’ federal levee system inundated about 80% of the city in floodwaters.
    — JACK BROOK, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The landfill, a former marsh that is separated from San Francisco Bay by an earthen levee, first became an garbage dump in 1938.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of levee
Verb
  • The case argues South Africa’s 1961 Indemnity Act unlawfully blocked hundreds of claims over the massacre, and asks courts to reopen the door to justice for victims’ descendants.
    — Michelle Gumede, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Many urban properties like The Benjamin have invested in multi-pane windows, and blackout curtains, which can block both light and sound.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of block
Verb
  • Similar to the Army, SAE was filled with young men from all walks of life; every economic background, faith, and ethnicity were represented.
    — Todd Buchanan, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Their vehicles are packed with animal triage kits filled with supplies to treat injuries and wounds.
    — Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of fill
Noun
  • Video shows teams of workers yanking ropes to ferry locals who were stranded on an embankment flanked by a flooded river.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Rogers was allegedly evasive when asked how his truck had gone off the road and down an embankment and started to walk away from the trooper toward a nearby picnic table with a crossbow and several arrows on it, state police said.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of embankment
Verb
  • Unlike existing luxury setups, the doors open in unison to reveal a completely open cabin space without a central B-pillar obstructing entry.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The man is being charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle, obstructing a peace officer and assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, according to Windsor Police.
    — Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of obstruct
Verb
  • Available in 12 colors, these jeans pack a ton of versatility.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026
  • High-Protein Nuts and Seeds Nuts and seeds are packed with protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
    — Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of pack
Verb
  • The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.
    — MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
  • And on July 12, 2008, two undocumented immigrants drowned as a wash near Nogales flooded in a heavy thunderstorm.
    — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of flood
Verb
  • Odysseus ended up lashing himself to the mast and ordering his crew to plug their ears with wax.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • This isn’t as simple as plugging a player into the lineup in Madden NFL 27.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of plug

Browse Nearby Words

dallying
dam
damage
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Cite this Entry

“Dam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dam. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dam

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dam

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