Thesaurus results for HEADWATER

headwater

noun

ˈhed-ˌwȯ-tər

Definition of headwater

as in tributary

usually headwaters plural the beginning part of a stream the first exploration of the Missouri River from its mouth to its headwaters was made by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the early 1800s

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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 headwater The agreement was made at a time when the region had a smaller population and benefited from wetter years, with much more snow to feed the river’s headwaters in the Rocky Mountains. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 Following an exceedingly warm year that has left the Colorado River’s headwaters in the Rocky Mountains largely snowless, Lake Mead is nearing a record-low level. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026 Several sensitive native fish have now settled in, including the speckled dace and the headwater chub. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 10 July 2026 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. — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for headwater

Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwater

Noun

Salmon born in its tributaries migrate to the ocean, spend years feeding at sea, then return to spawn, linking villages like Rampart to the same waters where the pollock fleet fishes.

— Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
The team would be making camp at the confluence of the Barrancas and one of its tributaries.

— Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of tributary

Noun

The kingdom, and its neighbors like the UAE and Qatar, have pitched themselves as not just sources of capital, but as a safe home for trillions in financial assets, data centers, and new industries.

— Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Portioned cups of sauces, dressings have some sort of liquid sitting on the lids from an unknown source.

— NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of source

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headwaiters

headwater

headwaters

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

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Synonyms of headwater

noun

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