as in to rinse
to pour liquid over or through in order to cleanse
if you get the chemical in your eye, irrigate the eye thoroughly with water
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Recent Examples of irrigate
The five biggest river systems in the world flow to the large populations in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China and are responsible for irrigating the fields that grow the crops that feed these people.
—
Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 13 Sep. 2024
Farmers from Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah could choose not to irrigate some of their land or to grow a crop that uses less water.
—Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2025
The modern Salton Sea formed amid efforts in the early 20th century to irrigate Imperial Valley farmland using Colorado River water.
—Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
In Henan province, the flooding came after a period of scorching temperatures that complicated efforts to grow and irrigate vital crops in parts of central China’s agricultural heartland.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for irrigate 
Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 13 Sep. 2024
Farmers from Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah could choose not to irrigate some of their land or to grow a crop that uses less water.
—Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2025
The modern Salton Sea formed amid efforts in the early 20th century to irrigate Imperial Valley farmland using Colorado River water.
—Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
In Henan province, the flooding came after a period of scorching temperatures that complicated efforts to grow and irrigate vital crops in parts of central China’s agricultural heartland.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 24 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for irrigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irrigate
Verb
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The after: alone in a quiet kitchen, rinsing out wine glasses and marveling over how little the whole thing cost me.—
Kendra Vaculin,
Bon Appétit,
11 Feb. 2025
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Those who find residue on their body can rinse the area with fresh water and scrape it off.—
Nathan Diller,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The American Academy of Dermatology Association says shingles rashes should be washed with a fragrance-free cleanser, coated with pure petroleum jelly, and covered with a clean, nonstick bandage daily until the blisters are completely healed.—
Brittany Risher,
SELF,
7 Feb. 2025
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Add it to your daily wash routine for best results.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The American Kennel Club (AKC) previously explained that some breeds are great with locating prey, some can flush it out for you, and others are better at retrieving it.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
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At the end, a flushing lock will send any remaining larval fish and eggs back downstream.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near irrigate
Cite this Entry
“Irrigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irrigate. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.
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