DAMS Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

dams 1 of 2

noun

plural of dam

as in levees

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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dams

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of dam

as in blocks

to prevent passage through by filling with something ice floes were damming the river

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fills

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 dams

Noun

A matter of climate and security Relocating populations to make way for dams is far from unprecedented in the region — though the practice often proves controversial. — Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 Products like inflatable dams, flood barriers that attach to doors more like dog gates or even good ol’ fashioned waterproofing tapes and foams are generally fine to install. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 Three dams along the Boardman River were taken out to reconnect coldwater streams and restore fish habitat. — CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 Its leading export is electricity, produced by hydropower dams. — Grant Peck, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 Public Works is preparing for 24-hour operations, monitoring low-water crossings, dams, roadways, debris and traffic signals while staging barricades for potential road closures. — Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 30 Sep. 2026 Reuters reported in 2025 that China and India, the world's most populous countries, have built 68 major dams in the Himalayas and another 101 are in the pipeline. — Mamita Bhandari, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026 Much of the Sacramento Valley depends on a network of levees, dams and bypasses to handle both large volumes of rainwater and extra releases from the many reservoirs in the mountains and foothills. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026 Old levees and dams, for example, can leave a community vulnerable to catastrophic flooding, as the Seattle area saw in December 2025 when flooding from heavy rainfall broke levees in multiple communities. — Bethany Tietjen, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026

Verb

Then dams and expanding farmlands dried it up and turned it into a patchwork of fields, roads and towns. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026 Mormon Flat, which dams Canyon Lake, was constructed in 1925, and is one of SRP’s oldest dams. — Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 18 Sep. 2026 The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asked experts to study what happened at the Edenville and Sanford dams. — ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026 Glacial outburst floods happen when the ice dams holding back glacial lakes fail, allowing a sudden release of water. — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dams

Noun

The state is pre-positioning more than 4 million sandbags, more than 50,000 feet of portable flood barriers and 400,000 tons of rock to repair levees.

— Adrian Florido, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
At 18 feet, low-lying rural areas outside the levees begin to flood.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of levees

Verb

Local artwork fills the walls of each room and building, while large-scale sculptures and art installations are rotated seasonally across the property.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026
The printer automatically fills the tank and replenishes it as material is consumed during printing.

— Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of fills

Noun

Water began to flood the streets of Baja California Sur on Monday hours after residents boarded up homes and set up embankments as Hurricane Polo bore down on the peninsula Monday, threatening high winds, floods and mudslides.

— Megan Janetsky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
How levees work Levees are earthen embankments positioned parallel to a river that effectively raise the height of the banks of the river to prevent overflow when the river swells.

— Kaleigh Yost, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of embankments

Verb

Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2026
Anatasia steals a truck and obstructs their path, sacrificing herself to a bleak future, all in the name of love.

— Hunter Ingram, Variety, 10 July 2026

Definition of obstructs

Verb

Essentially, earbuds—or anything else that plugs up your ear canal for long periods of time—could lead to a greater buildup of wax if your body isn’t able to get rid of it.

— Julia Landwehr, HEALTH, 14 Sep. 2026
Wilson plugs a creative gap in the Leeds line-up off that inside-right channel.

— Aston Villa, New York Times, 13 July 2026

Definition of plugs

Verb

The tabletop version packs two full-range drivers into the display housing, paired with a down-firing woofer and two force-cancelling passive radiators in its domed base.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
Tucked into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Taos rises from 9,207 to 12,163 feet and packs more than 1,200 acres of terrain into a surprisingly distinctive ski experience, from groomed runs to steep chutes and bowls.

— Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of packs

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damps

dams

damsel

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Style

“Dams.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dams. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dams

noun

verb

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