DAM Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

dam 1 of 2

noun

ˈdam

Definition of dam

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

Relevance

dam

2 of 2

verb

as in to block

to prevent passage through by filling with something ice floes were damming the river

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to fill

to close up so that no empty spaces remain dam up the pipes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dam

Noun

Now, a lithium battery system about the size of a few shipping containers, installed at Kanengo outside Lilongwe, is doing much of what that lost dam used to do. — Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026 The wildfire crews on federal lands, the veterans' health care providers at the VA, the customs officers at the port, the rural electric engineers, the food safety lab technicians, the dam safety inspectors, the bridge engineers. — Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2026

Verb

Morris grew up along the White River (a portion of which was dammed to create today’s Table Rock Lake) in the Ozarks, where fishing wasn’t just a pastime but a way of life. — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026 Responders are establishing diking and damming measures to divert the potential fluid down a grade into a commercial holding area. — Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for dam

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dam

Noun

The cost may manifest in the next major flood, the next levee inspection, the next decision made by someone who has not yet seen what the system does at the margins.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2026
Another problem human measures like dams and levees seem to have created, the team argues, is a perception of safety.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of levee

Verb

Then, use the cotton balls to block areas where vermin may try to enter.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
The Kennedy Center's board is expected to meet Thursday to consider plans for the performing arts venue's future after a federal judge blocked an earlier move for a two-year closure that would allow for substantial renovations.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of block

Verb

Be sure to plan at least one evening on-property to catch the sunset, when the mountains are painted in shades of pink and purple before giving way to a sky filled with twinkling stars.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
His previous spell on the Bernabeu bench was filled with arguments and feuds, with the Portuguese angrily taking on referees, journalists, opposition coaches and even his own players.

— Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of fill

Noun

The highway patrol’s video snippet ended with the man still holding the blades and ambling down an embankment to the highway while an officer pointed a gun at him.

— Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
Lemmon attempted to abort the takeoff, but the plane barreled through a fence and crossed a five-lane highway before finally coming to a halt on an embankment.

— Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of embankment

Verb

All are one-party systems designed to obstruct political competition, and all have varying degrees of state interference in the marketplace.

— Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
That was followed by Foster City police stating Thursday that a person has been booked on suspicion of causing a fire that injured firefighters, and obstructing police and fire investigators probing the blaze.

— Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of obstruct

Verb

Preparing lunch together can also become a lesson in practical problem-solving, like figuring out which ingredients are better packed separately to avoid a soggy sandwich surprise.

— Sierra Leone Starks, Parents, 10 Aug. 2026
In the morning, Green helped Beloozerov shave his head and packed his clothes in a plastic tote.

— Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of pack

Verb

The draft rules plug this gap, pulling digital assets directly into this legacy gatekeeping apparatus, treating cross-border stablecoin moves as standard bank transfers to keep tabs on money leaving the country.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Meanwhile, plugging the case in for 10 minutes will give it and the buds 10 hours of juice in total.

— Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of plug

Browse Nearby Words

dallying

dam

damage

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Dam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dam. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of dam

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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