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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dam
Audrey McAvoy, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Supporters say not only do the dams built by beavers help regulate the state's water supply, but the wetlands created by them also act as natural firebreaks, provide refuge for other wildlife during fires, and reduce downstream pollution after fires.
—Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Kamal Morgan
february 7, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026
Designed for a valley miles away from the Sacramento River, the reservoir would pump water through an underground pipe connecting to the river, rather than damming and trapping its water supply.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dam
Noun
The dam has long been vulnerable, but worries eased as the water subsided.
—Audrey McAvoy, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Supporters say not only do the dams built by beavers help regulate the state's water supply, but the wetlands created by them also act as natural firebreaks, provide refuge for other wildlife during fires, and reduce downstream pollution after fires.
—Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
Lake Como’s roots date back to 1889, when Denver investors dammed a creek about 5 miles west of downtown and built a luxury resort, casino and amusement rides modeled after Como, Italy.
—Kamal Morgan
february 7, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026
Designed for a valley miles away from the Sacramento River, the reservoir would pump water through an underground pipe connecting to the river, rather than damming and trapping its water supply.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dam
Noun
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But farming communities nationwide have been adversely affected by the president's tariff policy, as global trading partners scaled back agricultural purchases like soybeans in retaliation for higher levees.—
Jennifer Jacobs,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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California legislators on Tuesday voiced their support for Senate Bill 872 — a bill aimed at reinforcing Delta levees and the State Water Project by directing $300 million annually to the state’s water infrastructure upgrades and repairs.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the maneuver, a deputy or officer or trooper uses the front of his or her patrol car to push the rear corner of a fleeing car or truck, forcing it into a spin and allowing the officer to block the car and bring it to a stop.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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Cuba has taken a severe economic hit since the US effectively blocked its oil supply earlier this year, depriving its aging electricity network of its main source of fuel.—
Sol Amaya,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For every event that closes, such as the Johannesburg Biennale (held in 1995 and 1997) and the Marrakech Biennale (2004–16), others, like the Lagos Biennial (founded in 2017) and the Stellenbosch Triennial (founded in 2020), emerge to fill the void.—
Smooth Nzewi,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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Hernandez’s supervisors asked her to fill a new role in 2018, a job that did not exist anywhere else in the state.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The crash comes just more than five years after Woods was involved in a serious rollover crash near Los Angeles, when his car went off the road going more than 80 mph and down an embankment in the Pacific Palisades in February 2021.—
Patrick Hipes,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
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Officials said the scared dog ran and jumped over the railing and fell down the embankment.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors said Insua’s view was obstructed by the cargo, a deckhouse and crane on the barge.—
David Goodhue,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
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Full-palm tactile sensing allows the robot to continue manipulating objects even when cameras are obstructed or when precise force control is required, such as in assembly tasks.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The games bring out the fans, with big brothers and grandmas packing the stands.—
Laurie Perez,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Injury report While the Cubs head to Cleveland, right fielder Seiya Suzuki is packing his bags to Double-A Knoxville for a rehab stint.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The American Jewish community responded to the Yom Kippur War, which killed nearly three thousand Israeli soldiers, by flooding Israel with donations; doctors and students volunteered to join the war effort.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Inside, a central ramp—which spirals upward and outward from one exhibition floor to the next—creates an open interior space, flooded with daylight that pours in through a glass dome.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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High oil prices are boosting the Kremlin’s coffers, helping plug a hole in its federal budget and sustain the war effort in Ukraine.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
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Today, a similar community effort — donations and grants to plug financial holes each year — keeps it afloat.—
Aaron Bolton,
NPR,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dam. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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