DIKES Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

dikes 1 of 2

noun

plural of dike

as in levees

a bank of earth constructed to control water an elaborate system of dikes built to protect the lowlands from the relentless onslaught of the sea

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as in ditches

a long narrow channel dug in the earth water flowed along the dike to the small pond

Synonyms & Similar Words

dikes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of dike

as in fences

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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 dikes

Noun

Like many inland dikes, the barrier in agricultural fields near the small town of Waddinxveen, east of The Hague, is made of peat that needs to be damp to be strong enough to hold back water. — ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026 As the dikes spread, the region faced earthquakes and brought back into action long dormant faults, draining the magma beneath the ridge. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 9 July 2026 City officials warned residents in the vicinity of the dikes to prepare to evacuate. — Kansas City Public Library Staff, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 Constructing protective structures such as levees and dikes can help, as can preserving natural landscapes, such as wetlands and estuaries that can act as a natural sponge to absorb floodwaters, in and near the cities, Shao and her colleagues wrote. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026 The core examples are nuclear power plants, dams, dikes. — Connor Greene, Time, 8 Apr. 2026 Officials had worried that a system of dikes along the Skagit River would fail, and potentially inundate parts of Mount Vernon, a riverside town of about 35,000. — Evan Bush, NBC news, 13 Dec. 2025 Chinese mitten crabs burrow into levees, dikes, and stream banks, increasing erosion and threatening flood-control systems. — Staff Author Updated, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025 While the new dikes are funded by the federal government, the extensive reforestation efforts are privately covered by a non-governmental organization. — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dikes

Noun

Many residents and volunteers rushed to fill sandbags as levees leaked and threatened to cause even more damage.

— Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 18 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

Definition of levees

Noun

In the spring, when the snow is melting and the springs that are high up in the rock cliffs some miles away are carrying it down full speed, the ditches overflow as does the little creek that runs near my cabin.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
Though Sarnia’s industrial corridor is downstream from Lake Huron, several drainage ditches in the area are connected to creeks that flow into the lake, Corcoran said in an interview.

— Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of ditches

Verb

Apple hedges across the supply chain, but these price rises illustrate systemic long-term pressure rather than short-term variations.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
For example, low-cost Irish airline Ryanair currently hedges 80% of its jet fuel costs, giving them a significant competitive advantage when fuel prices increase.

— Tiago Ventura, Time, 26 June 2026

Definition of hedges

Noun

This week, Nepal saw more than 430 megawatts of power –– enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes –– knocked offline after 12 dams were hit by the surge of floodwaters.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Researchers have estimated that the waters held behind the world’s dams emit between 10 million and 22 million metric tons of methane per year — roughly equivalent to 3% to 7% of all the methane from human activities.

— Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of dams

Noun

The film, set in the Belgian trenches of the First World War, follows the love between two young soldiers who try, through art and intimacy, to escape the horrors around them.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
Nearby, blueberry bushes cover old foxholes, trenches and deep craters from artillery fire.

— Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of trenches

Noun

Assam has invested heavily in embankments, erosion-control structures, flood walls and other engineering.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Rising sea levels push salt water inland through rivers, canals and shallow groundwater; storm surges cause embankments to collapse, allowing water to seep into soils, rivers and groundwater systems.

— Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, The Dial, 7 July 2026

Definition of embankments

Noun

Standing urinals in the form of gutters are found at some Roman public buildings, such as the Colosseum.

— Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
From cleaning out our gutters and power washing your deck to prepping your cabinets for flue season and switching out your bedding, here's what should be on your home checklist as summer comes to an end.

— Alora Bopray, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of gutters

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“Dikes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dikes. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of dikes

noun

verb

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