as in levee
a bank of earth constructed to control water
the river backed up behind the dam until it formed a new lake
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of dam
Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
Against Baker’s wishes, a Supreme Court ruling about the endangered status of the little fish upended progress on a controversial dam in Tennessee for years.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
The Arizona Republic, 20 Dec. 2024
Austin and San Antonio have dammed, altered, channelized, buried and otherwise manipulated their creeks and rivers.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dam 
Noun
Efforts to protect the delta smelt involve limiting water diversion from the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta using changes to dam releases to ensure sufficient flows for its survival.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
Against Baker’s wishes, a Supreme Court ruling about the endangered status of the little fish upended progress on a controversial dam in Tennessee for years.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
President Calvin Coolidge signed into law legislation to dam the Colorado River, generate hydroelectricity and distribute water to Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
—The Arizona Republic, 20 Dec. 2024
Austin and San Antonio have dammed, altered, channelized, buried and otherwise manipulated their creeks and rivers.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dam
Noun
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Katrina, one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, overwhelmed the city’s levees and drainage pumps, causing catastrophic flooding and killing more than 1,000 people.—
Kate Selig,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2025
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However, there may be some overtopping of local levees.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American-Statesman,
10 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Republicans successfully slipped in an amendment to the 2025 defense bill that blocks gender-affirming care for transgender children of the military, legislation that Biden signed into law, although many Democrats objected to the provision.—
Brad Dress,
The Hill,
21 Jan. 2025
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After a federal court issued an injunction last summer blocking the program, millions of borrowers who had enrolled in SAVE were forced into a forbearance.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The big picture: Trump's second term follows a campaign filled with racist rhetoric, anti-trans policies, and mass deportation promises—raising concerns about the long-term impact on civil rights and equality.—
Axios,
Axios,
18 Jan. 2025
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Many shelters are full and can't always accept new animals, so foster homes fill an enormous gap, with tens of thousands of dogs and cats fostered each year.—
Claire Thornton,
USA TODAY,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Brianna Daniels, 34, lives in a tent pitched on a dusty embankment above San Jose’s Coyote Creek.—
Grant Stringer,
The Mercury News,
19 Jan. 2025
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The county fire department handles a variety of emergencies: hoisting drivers to safety when cars veer off canyon embankments or ferrying the injured and the critically ill to hospitals.—
Thomas Fuller,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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There’s a pesky column at the corner, which manages to just barely obstruct sightlines — though perhaps this has meaning of its own, revealing a potential non-linguistic barrier between us and them, while also helping to give the classroom its necessary claustrophobic tension.—
Christian Lewis,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2025
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Mapes’ effort to obstruct the federal investigation was ultimately unsuccessful as prosecutors moved forward with charges against Madigan and several others as part of the sweeping probe.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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It’s packed with footage from that eight-month period, including outraged football fans burning Simpson jerseys and poignant courtroom scenes.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
17 Jan. 2025
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Season 2 dropped on Jan. 16, and the eight-episode second chapter is packed with even more drama than the first.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The point, as is true in all politics, is to flood the zone with damaging stories about your opponents.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
The New Yorker,
16 Jan. 2025
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Aid would flood Gaza as residents returned to what is left of their homes, and the Israeli military pulls back from the major population centers, according to the mediators.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Russia could offset this by encouraging immigration, but Central Asian migrants – long used to plug gaps in the workforce – have faced rising xenophobia after recent terror attacks in Russia stoked ethnic tensions.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN,
26 Jan. 2025
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If you are forced to use space heaters, only use space heaters that are certified by Underwriters Laboratory (U/L) and never place heaters near flammable materials like curtains or furniture and never plug space heaters into extension cords or power strips.—
Adolfo Carrión Jr.,
New York Daily News,
24 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near dam
Cite this Entry
“Dam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dam. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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