dam 1 of 2

noun

ˈdam How to pronounce dam (audio)
Definition of damnext
as in levee
a bank of earth constructed to control water the river backed up behind the dam until it formed a new lake

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dam

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to block
to prevent passage through by filling with something ice floes were damming the river

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fill
to close up so that no empty spaces remain dam up the pipes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dam
Noun
The stereographic photograph shows the environmental disruption that is caused by past dam construction, along with the ecological recovery that can follow conservation efforts. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2026 The dam burst in the fifth, and runs continued to pour in during each of the next four innings. — Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
The water, too, was wild—the Allegheny and its tributaries had yet to be dammed, and Flag Swamp was noted as one of the last hideouts for beavers in the state. — Literary Hub, 10 June 2026 Morris grew up along the White River (a portion of which was dammed to create today’s Table Rock Lake) in the Ozarks, where fishing wasn’t just a pastime but a way of life. — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dam
  1. levee
  2. block
  3. fill
  4. embankment
  5. obstruct
  6. pack
  7. flood
  8. plug
Noun
  • After Katrina made landfall in Louisiana, the failure of New Orleans’ federal levee system inundated about 80% of the city in floodwaters.
    — JACK BROOK, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The landfill, a former marsh that is separated from San Francisco Bay by an earthen levee, first became an garbage dump in 1938.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of levee
Verb
  • The Supreme Court in late June blocked Trump from firing Cook, but left the president with a path to try again to remove her.
    — Kevin Breuninger,Dan Mangan, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Satellite images appear to show the avalanche blocking the river with ice and debris about 20km upstream of the Nepal-Tibet border.
    — Milad Haghani, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of block
Verb
  • Similar to the Army, SAE was filled with young men from all walks of life; every economic background, faith, and ethnicity were represented.
    — Todd Buchanan, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Their vehicles are packed with animal triage kits filled with supplies to treat injuries and wounds.
    — Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of fill
Noun
  • 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
  • Authorities said Roberts fell to his death from a steep embankment.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of embankment
Verb
  • Unlike existing luxury setups, the doors open in unison to reveal a completely open cabin space without a central B-pillar obstructing entry.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The man is being charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle, obstructing a peace officer and assaulting a peace officer with a weapon, according to Windsor Police.
    — Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of obstruct
Verb
  • Available in 12 colors, these jeans pack a ton of versatility.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026
  • High-Protein Nuts and Seeds Nuts and seeds are packed with protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
    — Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of pack
Verb
  • The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.
    — MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
  • And on July 12, 2008, two undocumented immigrants drowned as a wash near Nogales flooded in a heavy thunderstorm.
    — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of flood
Verb
  • This isn’t as simple as plugging a player into the lineup in Madden NFL 27.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • There is no plug-and-play replacement for one of the game’s best pass-blocking tackles.
    — The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of plug

Browse Nearby Words

dallying
dam
damage
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Cite this Entry

“Dam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dam. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dam

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dam

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