Definition of troughnext
1
as in pipe
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

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2
as in ditch
a long narrow channel dug in the earth I slid and fell into the trough by the side of the road, scraping my leg

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3
as in gutter
a pipe or channel for carrying off water from a roof the troughs on the eaves of the house were clogged with leaves

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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 trough An upper-level trough in the Pacific Northwest that has kept that dome from enveloping California and driving up temperatures into the 100s has been just as influential, the weather service said. Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 24 July 2026 Bertha was downgraded to a tropical depression and then to a trough. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 24 July 2026 By Thursday, the Eastern Pacific trough that helped pump up the moisture earlier in the week will arrive, bringing a weak cold front and kicking off a late-week cooling trend. Kassia Bonesteel, CBS News, 13 July 2026 But Kostyuk, who has done tremendous work of her own this season to add solidity and evenness to a tennis arsenal with impossible peaks, but also deep troughs, had reasons to do much more than feel the agony of missing out. James Hansen, New York Times, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for trough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trough
Noun
  • Then, an eighth pipe was slotted into the small organ, bringing with it a new sound that reverberated throughout the church.
    Stefanie Dazio, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The new whisky expands its maturation from three to five distinct cask types, including Fino sherry and Port pipes, subtly reshaping Glenfiddich's signature fruit-forward profile by adding dryness and complexity.
    Emily Price, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Lower courts had tossed out the last-ditch appeals to save Bruce by concluding the animal rescue lacked a concrete interest in the dog's survival sufficient to challenge the dangerousness finding by local authorities.
    Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Arlington police are investigating the death of a 42-year-old man after his car swerved off the road and ended up in a ditch Sunday afternoon.
    Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The firm had completed some initial work on the property three or four years ago, including the demolition of the building’s interior, and the buildout of utility connections and curbs and gutters.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • That includes strategies such as roof and gutter maintenance and keeping fire-prone greenery, shrubs and mulch away from the home.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • City leaders held a meeting Wednesday to discuss the transition, including plans to modernize the conduit system, improve safety and establish a new city-run operation.
    Bryant Reed, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Relationships are conduits for timely information sharing, mutual aid and collective action.
    Fiona Doherty, The Conversation, 5 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The Stockton Fire Department said two bodies were recovered from a construction trench that collapsed on Saturday morning.
    Jose Fabian, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • After working for more than a decade in club music’s trenches, the brothers now aspired to be not merely DJs, but a dance-music act known for spectacular live performances.
    Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 8 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Gilman had been moved from a prison to a civilian hospital, where he was hooked up to a feeding tube and handcuffed to a bed.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Cases where a patient is malnourished are challenging, because research has shown putting in a feeding tube or giving them appetite stimulants doesn’t improve their outcomes, Lee said.
    Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Rising from near the Aegean coast to 9,573-foot Mytikas, Greece’s highest peak, the mountain encompasses forests, ravines, limestone cliffs, and alpine habitat with unusually rich plant diversity.
    Bailey Berg, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The motorcycle drove down a ravine and struck a tree, according to the crash log.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • More pre-fall favorites This fall, expect to see funnel-neck jackets, slim-fitting and lady jackets, sheer apparel, earth-tones and pops of color.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • None of it works without the funnel underneath, and the funnel is generational.
    Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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