SLOUGH Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'slough' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of slough are cast , discard , junk , scrap , and shed . While all these words mean "to get rid of," shed and slough imply a throwing off of something both useless and encumbering and often suggest a consequent renewal of vitality or luster. // shed a bad habit // finally sloughed off the depression

Q: When is it sensible to use 'cast' instead of 'slough'?

The words cast and slough can be used in similar contexts, but cast , especially when used with off, away , or out , implies a forceful rejection or repudiation. // cast off her friends

Q: When might 'discard' be a better fit than 'slough'?

The meanings of discard and slough largely overlap; however, discard implies the letting go or throwing away of something that has become useless or superfluous though often not intrinsically valueless. // discard old clothes

Q: How do 'scrap' and 'junk' relate to one another, in the sense of 'slough'?

Both scrap and junk imply throwing away or breaking up as worthless in existent form. // scrap all the old ways // would junk our educational system

slough 1 of 3

noun

ˈslü

variants also slew or slue

Definition of slough

as in marsh

spongy land saturated or partially covered with water the land for miles around the lake is strewn with ponds, sloughs, and mudflats

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slough

2 of 3

verb (1)

as in to shuffle

to move heavily or clumsily the unpleasant task of sloughing through the muck to retrieve the ball

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slough

3 of 3

verb (2)

ˈsləf

variants also sluff

as in to shed

to cast (a natural bodily covering or appendage) aside the snake is sloughing its old skin

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word slough different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of slough are cast, discard, junk, scrap, and shed. While all these words mean "to get rid of," shed and slough imply a throwing off of something both useless and encumbering and often suggest a consequent renewal of vitality or luster.

shed a bad habit

finally sloughed off the depression

When is it sensible to use cast instead of slough?

The words cast and slough can be used in similar contexts, but cast, especially when used with off, away, or out, implies a forceful rejection or repudiation.

cast off her friends

When might discard be a better fit than slough?

The meanings of discard and slough largely overlap; however, discard implies the letting go or throwing away of something that has become useless or superfluous though often not intrinsically valueless.

discard old clothes

How do scrap and junk relate to one another, in the sense of slough?

Both scrap and junk imply throwing away or breaking up as worthless in existent form.

scrap all the old ways

would junk our educational system

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 slough

Noun

That's also reflected in the slew of endorsements from conservatives, including former Republican Kansas Govs. — Stephen Fowler, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026 Starring alongside Amell is a slew of objectively hot influencers and models plucked straight off the TikTok FYP, including Noah Beck, Olivia Dunne, and Brooks Nader. — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026

Verb

The Village Photographer Madeleine de Sinéty sloughed off her aristocratic upbringing and spent her life capturing small-town life in Brittany and Maine. — The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026 It’s also packed with a slew of cleansing agents that are known for effectively sloughing away gunk while being gentle enough not to damage the skin barrier. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slough

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slough

Noun

Before the healing process was complete, however, Scotty died in what scientists believe was a salty marsh.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
In Cusk’s first novel after the blockbuster Outline trilogy, a woman invites an artist to stay at her home on a marsh, and things unravel from there.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of marsh

Verb

Offensive line shuffled up Dykes said in earlier in the week that TCU looked at everything throughout the program during the 2-3 start and would make the necessary adjustments to try and turn things around.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026
Uribe shuffled off the mound, and the crowd at American Family Field roared.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of shuffle

Verb

Against that backdrop, the royal visit signals that Spain is shedding its longstanding reluctance to send its monarchs to the exclaves, Amirah-Fernández said.

— JOSEPH WILSON, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
Nagy continued working as an artist in the years afterward, eventually shedding his austere black-and-white collage aesthetic to make colorful paintings and installations in the ’90s.

— Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of shed

Noun

Napa and East Palo Alto impacts are mostly to natural lands like depressional wetlands, lagoons, and snowy plover habitat, while East Oakland is mainly due to BART and the Oakland Airport.

— Zoe Mintz, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026
The forum organized by Sachs was meant to be a listening session to determine the future of wetlands and farmland in the Ag Reserve, a huge swath of land west of Florida’s Turnpike.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of wetland

Verb

Resendiz finished strongly, sending Mazoudier stumbling backward in the final minute.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Munyon's Paw-Paw, an alcoholic beverage dating to the early 1900s, has been resurrected by two longtime spirits industry veterans who stumbled upon its unusual history during a family outing.

— Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of stumble

Noun

The rain is expected to stop by kickoff, but not after nearly 24 hours of it, which may have turned the grass surface of Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium into a swamp (it is equipped with quite the advanced draining system).

— Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Del Rey’s husband, Jeremy Dufrene, will even have a bit role as Mud Dog Mike, Back Country Radio’s roving reporter, swamp meteorologist, and airboat captain (which Dufrene is in real life).

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of swamp

Verb

Armed with her first name and a job title, Lee barges into the PD’s office to offer Ginger his services.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Three gunmen barged into a small house in an impoverished neighborhood in South Africa and opened fire on a group enjoying a party inside, killing at least 11 people including a pregnant woman, police and local authorities said Wednesday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of barge

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slouching

slough

sloughed

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

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Synonyms of slough

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Synonyms of slough

noun

verb (1)

verb (2)

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More from Merriam-Webster on slough

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