1
a
: a barrier preventing the flow of water or of loose solid materials (such as soil or snow)
a beaver dam
an ice dam
especially, civil engineering
: a barrier built across a watercourse for impounding (see impound sense 2) water
b
: a barrier to check the flow of liquid, gas, or air
2
: a body of water confined by a barrier
dammed; damming
1
: to provide or restrain with a barrier that prevents the flow of water : to provide or restrain with a dam (see dam entry 1 sense 1a)
dam a river
2
: to stop up : block
damming up their emotions
zoology
: the female parent of an animal and especially of a domestic animal
the foal's dam
dekameter
Synonyms
Examples of dam in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the river backed up behind the dam until it formed a new lake
Verb
ice floes were damming the river
Recent Examples on the Web
Lincee Ray, EW.com, 21 Dec. 2024
The $500 million effort removed aging dams that had been constructed in the 20th century, some having stood for more than 100 years.
—Joe Spring, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024
Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Mar. 2024
This recent catch is especially notable because the species population is believed to have dropped by at least 95% in the last century, according to National Geographic, as a result of overfishing, damming, siltation, and destruction of spawning and breeding grounds.
—Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dam 
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Noun
Jemmy is in the hydroelectric dam where his mother and Rob work.
—Lincee Ray, EW.com, 21 Dec. 2024
The $500 million effort removed aging dams that had been constructed in the 20th century, some having stood for more than 100 years.
—Joe Spring, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
Austin and San Antonio have dammed, altered, channelized, buried and otherwise manipulated their creeks and rivers.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 13 Mar. 2024
This recent catch is especially notable because the species population is believed to have dropped by at least 95% in the last century, according to National Geographic, as a result of overfishing, damming, siltation, and destruction of spawning and breeding grounds.
—Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dam
Dictionary Entries Near dam
Cite this Entry
“Dam.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dam. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dam
1 of 3 noun
: the female parent especially of a domestic animal
dam
2 of 3 noun1
: a barrier preventing the flow of water
2
: a body of water held back by a dam
dam
3 of 3 verb
dammed; damming
1
: to provide or restrain with a dam
dam a stream
2
: to stop up : block
dammed-up feelings
Etymology
Noun
Middle English dam, dame "lady, female parent"
Noun
Middle English dam "barrier to hold back water"
Medical Definition
dam
1 of 3 noun
: a female parent
—used especially of a domestic animal
dam
2 of 3 noun
: rubber dam see dental dam
dam
3 of 3 abbreviation
dekameter
Biographical Definition
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