as in headwater
a stream that flows into a larger body of water
the Amazon and its more than 1,000 known tributaries form the world's largest drainage basin
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in subordinate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tributary
Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
In Santarém, where the rainforest meets the Tapajós River — one of the main tributaries of the Amazon — the consequences are already unfolding.
—Michael Sheldrick, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
Catherine Porter, New York Times, 6 June 2023
This was a tributary version of the break-up and floe of ice that historically has happened in all the Great Lakes.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 27 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Noun
Cruising through the tributaries with skiffs or kayaks gives travelers close-up access to the wildlife of this remote area.
—Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
In Santarém, where the rainforest meets the Tapajós River — one of the main tributaries of the Amazon — the consequences are already unfolding.
—Michael Sheldrick, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
The edges of the country roads are decorated by tributary statues and banners flashing the faces of Allied soldiers who died in the fight.
—Catherine Porter, New York Times, 6 June 2023
This was a tributary version of the break-up and floe of ice that historically has happened in all the Great Lakes.
—Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 27 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tributary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tributary
Noun
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The utility’s leaders defend the project and say the utility has spent $30 million across dozens of projects to offset the environmental impacts of the reservoir expansion, including stream restoration on the headwaters of the Colorado River.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
16 Apr. 2025
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Its main stem flows 2,350 miles from the headwaters at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, touching 10 states and spreading out into many more with its tributaries.—
Amy Graff,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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The 6th Ranger Training Battalion belongs to the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade which is a subordinate brigade of the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
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The company kept the HBO brand, of course, as subordinate under the Max umbrella.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
15 May 2025
Noun
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How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 May 2025
-
The plaintiffs alleged that USIP staffers are not federal workers because the agency is independent of the executive branch and that DOGE's actions—from forcefully gaining access to USIP's buildings to ousting the agency's staff and replacing them with people affiliated with DOGE—violated the law.—
Sonam Sheth,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
Noun
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The pursuit ended when the driver went off road into a bayou and was arrested, police told the station.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 May 2025
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In September, the Mail published photos of their low-key wedding in the Louisiana bayou.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
7 May 2025
Noun
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That revelation challenges the assumption that megalodon was the exclusive ruler of the oceans and draws comparisons with the great white shark, another large opportunistic feeder.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
27 May 2025
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Corn is also a heavy feeder with shallow roots that compete with other plants for nutrients.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Dakota Johnson exemplified this shift, wearing a custom light pink Gucci dress that layered sequins beneath the garment’s longline fringe, finishing the look with complementary silver earrings.—
Pooja Shah,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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This salad is an elevated addition to any summer entertaining spread, thanks to the unique yet complementary flavors that taste like something special.—
Erin Hooker,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 May 2025
Noun
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Charlie Davis Season: 46 Placed: 2nd If Q was the hurricane blowing through Survivor 46, Davis was a source of calm geniality at the center, constantly quoting Taylor Swift songs while obscuring his careful, clever gameplay.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Time,
29 May 2025
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Trade Wars The tariffs imposed by Trump on Europe to try to redress trade imbalances have been another source of friction.—
Matthew Tostevin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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In his 1985 report, Popplewell cited the lack of fire extinguishers or clearly signposted evacuation routes as a contributory factor, along with the locked exit gates and no one knowing who was in overall control of the matchday operation.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
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The news comes in the wake of health officials announcing that Arakawa died at 65 from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare condition that comes from contact with rodents, and Hackman subsequently died at 95 from heart disease, with Alzheimer's as a significant contributory factor.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tributary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tributary. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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