1
as in pipes
a long hollow cylinder for carrying a substance (as a liquid or gas)
all of the wiring for the converted residential loft is concealed in a vertical trough
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ditches
a long narrow channel dug in the earth
I slid and fell into the trough by the side of the road, scraping my leg
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in gutters
a pipe or channel for carrying off water from a roof
the troughs on the eaves of the house were clogged with leaves
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of troughs
This effect is amplified by the natural asymmetry of sea waves – their crests are typically sharper and steeper than their flatter troughs.
—
Francesco Fedele, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2025
The hadal zone is primarily comprised of oceanic trenches and troughs — some of the deepest and least explored environments on Earth.
—Marlowe Starling, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
Misjudgements and poor patches of form are part of the narrative in Test match troughs.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
Additionally, several settlement pits, troughs, and above-ground structures were identified.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 21 Dec. 2024
Not so with axions; quantum interference patterns would result in the distribution of axions in a galaxy's dark matter halo to come in peaks and troughs, each extending thousands of light-years.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2024
These winds blow west to east, but the belt can shift north and south, forming ridges and troughs.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 27 Nov. 2024
While there have been peaks and troughs in the number of homes sold since then, sales have not recovered to above the 5 million sales per month mark that was common prior to the pandemic.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
Francesco Fedele, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2025
The hadal zone is primarily comprised of oceanic trenches and troughs — some of the deepest and least explored environments on Earth.
—Marlowe Starling, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
Misjudgements and poor patches of form are part of the narrative in Test match troughs.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
Additionally, several settlement pits, troughs, and above-ground structures were identified.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 21 Dec. 2024
Not so with axions; quantum interference patterns would result in the distribution of axions in a galaxy's dark matter halo to come in peaks and troughs, each extending thousands of light-years.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2024
These winds blow west to east, but the belt can shift north and south, forming ridges and troughs.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 27 Nov. 2024
While there have been peaks and troughs in the number of homes sold since then, sales have not recovered to above the 5 million sales per month mark that was common prior to the pandemic.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for troughs
Noun
-
Bacteria that live on the insides of pipes in a water system convert that ammonia to nitrite in a process called nitrification.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Advertisement Later that year, while hospitalized for an alleged appendicitis, Sobhraj took advantage of a blackout caused by the Indo-Pakistani war to escape, slipping out through the drainage pipes.—
Isadora Wandermurem,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The district remains a throwback to the old days, much like the ancient thistle districts and thistle commissioners who were once found across Lake County in an attempt to stomp out the noxious weeds from farmlands and roadside ditches.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Clean streams were converted into muddy ditches.—
Charles Elliott,
Outdoor Life,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Bolster or reattach sagging gutters, tighten up screws, and seal any cracks or leaks with gutter sealant.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Remove standing water from your flowerpots, gutters, pool covers, pet dishes, or birdbaths.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Unlike rigid processes, pathways are living conduits.—
Scott Hutcheson,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Machines are shut down and shovels return, covering conduits with clods of soil.—
Steven Searcy,
IEEE Spectrum,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Improvising an armed version to clear Russian trenches should not be an impossible technical challenge, given how easily troops in the field have attached sawn-off shotguns to drones.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The actor has spent three days in these trenches, soaked in blood and sweat of his own making.—
Josh Wigler,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Each vessel is equipped with 32 vertical launch tubes for three types of anti-surface and land-attack cruise missiles, as well as 10 torpedo tubes.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
-
In images shared on the GoFundMe page, he is seen at the hospital with tubes in his nose and one of his legs severely blistered and bruised all over his shin down to the ankle.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
At the same time, the ravines have become junkyards, where home appliances, grocery carts, bald tires, grass clippings and autumn leaves have been dumped.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
-
The tracks led north and east now, angling and twisting through the timber, across ravines and small draws, avoiding parks and passes, heading generally into the wind.—
Fred C. Mercer,
Outdoor Life,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
There have been various similar streamer-broadcaster partnerships struck in 2025, with Netflix’s agreement to carry the live channels and on-demand content from France’s TF1 starting 2026 arguably the most eye-catching.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Join Zax Rewardz and keep an eye out on Zaxby’s social channels for exclusive offers this week.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Troughs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/troughs. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share