sandbars

noun

plural of sandbar
as in dunes
a raised area of sand with a top that is near or just above the surface of the water in an ocean, lake, or river We walked out onto the sandbar at low tide.

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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 sandbars From rocky beaches to walkable sandbars to miles of trails winding through the park, the town has plenty to explore. — Morgan Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026 The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife said dogfish and other small sharks commonly forage close to shore during the summer and can become trapped near sandbars as the tide recedes, according to ABC6. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026 Low water levels have exposed vast stretches of riverbanks, as well as long sandbars usually hidden deep beneath the surface. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026 Rent a kayak or canoe from the Wisconsin Canoe Company and spend a day drifting downstream or book an overnight expedition and camp on one of the river’s sandbars. — Charles Usher, Midwest Living, 10 June 2026 The beach boasts shifting sandbars that foster waves with surprisingly good swell. — Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 For all of these creatures, the coast’s patchwork of barrier islands, beaches, sandbars, salt marshes, tidal creeks and estuaries are vitally important for survival. — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 16 May 2026 The Central Exuma Cays are known for their shallow turquoise waters, sandbars and thriving marine ecosystems. — Tracy Yochum, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026 What's more, the trip includes photo-taking opportunities as well as a stop in Shell Key to bask in the sun on its beaches and sandbars. — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sandbars
  1. dunes
  2. ridges
  3. embankments
  4. shoals
Noun
  • Many travelers opt to take a four-wheeler down the Sand Highway, a one-way trail into a canyon on the boundary of the dunes, or on the South Boundary Trail, which winds along the eastern side of the main dune area.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026
Definition of dunes
Noun
  • Dropping off the ridges into the canyons was like descending into a furnace.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The lush valleys flanking the Teahupo’o coastline are full of drama, with towering, jagged peaks and vertiginous ridges—many far off the grid and only accessible via boat.
    — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of ridges
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
  • The offerings of any decent oyster shucker will change according to the seasons and the tides and the shoals and the shipping lines and the harbor freight and the rush-hour traffic on the interstate.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Volunteers and staff with the nonprofit foundation removed alligatorweed from the shoals manually but are working on grant proposals to remove more.
    — John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026
Definition of shoals

Browse Nearby Words

sandbar
sandbars
sandblast
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Cite this Entry

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

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