SLOUGHS Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

sloughs 1 of 3

noun

variants also slews or slues

plural of slough

as in marshes

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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sloughs

2 of 3

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of slough

as in shuffles

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sloughs

3 of 3

verb (2)

variants also sluffs

present tense third-person singular of slough

as in sheds

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

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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 sloughs

Noun

Without the aid of cold water, officials are electrofishing and netting in the river to remove invasives, and are considering dosing some sloughs and backwaters in the first miles below the dam with fish-killing chemicals. — Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2026 Brannan Island State Recreation Area Located near the eastern end of the maze of rivers and sloughs that make up the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado july 14, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026 They're mostly found in the swamps, sloughs, wetlands, and drainage ditches of the western coastal plain, and are occasionally found around rivers and lakes. — Jack Armstrong, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 3 June 2026 Any niche status went out the window years ago, as slews of more casual runners opt into the marathon experience. — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2026 Hyperia then automatically slews to the target and performs an operation called astrometry – measuring the precise positions of stars to double-check its accuracy. — New Atlas, 26 Jan. 2026 Everglades views The Everglades’ beauty lies in scale and stillness, with mirrorlike sloughs and cypress domes rising from shallow water. — Jesse Scott, AFAR Media, 23 Jan. 2026 Explore a white-sand beach and the sinks, swales, and sloughs found within the 2,500-acre Suwannee River Water Management District. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2026 They are found in a wide variety of habitats but prefer oak-cabbage palm hammocks, freshwater marshes and sloughs, pine flatwoods, and more open agricultural areas. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025

Verb

The retinol in the formula sloughs away all impurities that lead to the bumps in the first place, while vitamin E and green tea fend off any sensitivities by restoring the moisture barrier. — Mary Honkus, Glamour, 18 Aug. 2026 Powered by microcrystals, this is an excellent physical exfoliant that sloughs away dead skin with ease—without being overly harsh of course. — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026 Though more popular for your skin, when applied to your scalp and strands, the ingredient sloughs off buildup, soothes irritation, reduces dandruff, and controls oil production. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 5 July 2026 If left untreated, the affected tissue surrounding the bite dies and sloughs off the body, leaving behind an ulcer. — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 5 July 2026 Their body care kit gets to the root of smooth skin with a trio of products including a pre-sluff bar that rids it of lotions and oils, a washable textured mitt that sloughs off dead cells and a eucalyptus-scented body lotion that loads it with hydration while making your bathroom smell like a spa. — Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026 Lactic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid, which gently sloughs away dead skin cells to reveal softer, smoother skin. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026 The stand collar is ideal for keeping the chill out, too, while a water-resistant fabric sloughs off rain and snow with ease. — Michelle Tchea, Travel + Leisure, 12 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sloughs

Noun

Coastal development can also prevent marshes from migrating inland as tides rise, resulting in habitat loss.

— Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 14 Oct. 2026
Flores owns a private island in Louisiana’s marshes called Little Pecan.

— Rachel Nostrant, Houston Chronicle, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of marshes

Verb

Like Lumiere the candlestick before it, the Lume both sheds light and completes tasks for its owner with nary a complaint.

— Emma Barker, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
The living-and-dining area is about 200 square feet, and the galley kitchen has a passthrough that can be used as a counter but also sheds a little extra light on the dark cabinetry and jet-black tile.

— Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of sheds

Noun

South Windsor’s wetlands board approved the proposal this summer, and the Newburys are now seeking a zoning permit.

— Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026
The same principle applies to conservation protections covering much of the former Winter Springs Golf Course, our wetlands and our mature tree canopy.

— Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of wetlands

Verb

The film will follow a boy (Leber), left to his own devices, who stumbles upon a secret late-night broadcast of lizards playing otherworldly music.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
While going through Verity’s files, Lowen stumbles on her memoir, an alleged confession.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of stumbles

Verb

The crust of the tangible world peels away, and hidden spiritual and moral realities become prominent and unmistakable.

— Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026
Across the conference table, Sosanya plays Beatrice like steel swaddled in cashmere, while Miles Jupp, as her colleague David, peels away his genteel snobbery to reveal an unexpectedly dorky underbelly.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of peels

Noun

Hilly woods or swamps with lots of folds, ditches, and creeks are best for ground hunting.

— Colin Moore, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
Staying safe from alligators in Florida Alligators have inhabited Florida's marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes for centuries and are found in all of Florida's 67 counties.

— Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of swamps

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“Sloughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sloughs. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of sloughs

noun

verb (1)

verb (2)

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