Thesaurus results for HEADWATERS

headwaters

noun

plural of headwater

as in tributary

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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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 headwaters Clear Creek County Commissioner George Marlin makes a compelling case that alone, his small county of about 9,000 residents could never fund the mitigation needed to protect the headwaters of Clear Creek. — Megan Schrader, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2026 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 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 Grinnell Glacier Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana Covering around a million acres, Glacier National Park provides the headwaters for streams that flow to the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Hudson Bay. — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2026 Lake Assinica in the Broadback headwaters has attracted world-wide attention for its giant squaretails the past two years. — Marc Terziev, Outdoor Life, 25 June 2026 While the river’s headwaters are near Salem, most of the outfitters are located in Steelville. — Kelsey Yandura, Midwest Living, 17 June 2026 These burn areas create barriers around villages, headwaters and sensitive sites, protecting them from wildfires during peak drought. — ABC News, 7 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for headwaters

Noun

That allowed sea water to infiltrate freshwater tributaries across the peninsula, especially in lagoons and deltas where clam and mussel farms provided ample prey.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
Families can enjoy the tributary and take in the fall foliage at spots like peaceful Wild River State Park and Interstate State Park, which offers clifftop views of the river.

— Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of tributary

Noun

The San Diego Padres will call up top catching prospect Ethan Salas when rosters expand Tuesday, a team source told The Athletic on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the move.

— Dennis Lin, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
From February through July 2026, ELG exceeded its plan by approximately $400 million of gross merchandise value, sources said.

— David Moin, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026

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“Headwaters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headwaters. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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noun

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