levee

noun

ˈle-vē How to pronounce levee (audio)
Definition of leveenext
1
as in dam
a bank of earth constructed to control water the raging floodwaters were too much for the levee to handle

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2
as in wharf
a structure used by boats and ships for taking on or landing cargo and passengers we tied the boat up at the levee and started unloading the fish we had caught

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 levee Before floodwater began to rise, Abigail Erikson hadn’t planned to spend hours filling sandbags to save the community of Rocky Ripple as levees threatened failure. — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2026 On Sunday, hundreds of people gathered at a volleyball court in Rocky Ripple, a town northwest of Indianapolis, with shovels and sandbags to help reinforce the town's levee, according to NPR Member Station WFYI. — Chandelis Duster, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026 The cost may manifest in the next major flood, the next levee inspection, the next decision made by someone who has not yet seen what the system does at the margins. — Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2026 Another problem human measures like dams and levees seem to have created, the team argues, is a perception of safety. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for levee
Recent Examples of Synonyms for levee
  1. dam
  2. wharf
  3. embankment
  4. dock
  5. pier
  6. quay
Noun
  • China Energy Investment Corp shared the update on Monday, calling it another step forward in building the world’s tallest dam and a major hydropower plant on the Dadu River.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Early settlers of the Valley constructed the Salt River's first dams and laid the groundwork for the area's future.
    — Alex Hager, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of dam
Noun
  • But in 1820, Shippingport had about 600 residents, three wharves for steamboats, taverns and a flour mill.
    — Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The redevelopment would change that by extending and upgrading existing wharves and dredging areas around the docks.
    — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of wharf
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
Noun
  • Boat houses, boat landings, docks, piers and mooring posts must be built according to plans approved by the village council and require a Miami-Dade County environmental permit.
    — Luisa Yanez Updated September 3, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • As the video above by Lake Como Wonders highlights, owners also enjoy access to the sprawling grounds, shared pool, private beach, two parking spots, and a private dock and boathouse.
    — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of dock
Noun
  • The migrants retreated to a pier where they were guarded by police.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The bridge’s 22 piers were seismically retrofitted from the water upward in 2002, but the underwater infrastructure supporting the piers hasn’t been renovated or upgraded since the bridge opened to traffic in 1969.
    — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of pier
Noun
  • Three Yemeni government sources told Reuters air defenses were engaging drones launched by the Houthis toward the commercial quay and storage in the port.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Emergency services evacuated everyone from the vessel and the surrounding quay after the leak was detected and carried out air quality measurements.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 15 July 2026
Definition of quay

Browse Nearby Words

letups
levee
levees
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on levee

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about levee

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