RIVER: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for RIVER?

Need another word that means the same as “river”? Find 15 synonyms and 30 related words for “river” in this overview.

The synonyms of “River” are: watercourse, waterway, stream, tributary, brook, inlet, rivulet, rill, runnel, streamlet, freshet, torrent, flood, deluge, cascade

River as a Noun

Definitions of "River" as a noun

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “river” as a noun can have the following definitions:

• Used in names of animals and plants living in or associated with rivers, e.g. river dolphin.
• A large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river.
• A large quantity of a flowing substance.
• A large natural stream of water (larger than a creek.

Synonyms of "River" as a noun (15 Words)

brook	A natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river. The Lake District boasts lovely lakes and babbling brooks.
cascade	A sudden downpour (as of tears or sparks etc) likened to a rain shower. The waterfall raced down in a series of cascades.
deluge	An overwhelming number or amount. This may be the worst deluge in living memory.
flood	The biblical flood brought by God upon the earth because of the wickedness of the human race Gen 6 ff. Floods of tourists come each year to marvel at the sights.
freshet	The occurrence of a water flow resulting from sudden rain or melting snow.
inlet	An opening through which fluid is admitted to a tube or container. An air inlet.
rill	A small stream.
rivulet	A brownish European moth with white markings, occurring in rough grassland. Sweat ran in rivulets down his back.
runnel	A brook or rill. Muddy lanes with runnels for effluent.
stream	Something that resembles a flowing stream in moving continuously. Frank blew out a stream of smoke.
streamlet	A small stream.
torrent	A violently fast stream of water (or other liquid. After the rains the stream becomes a raging torrent.
tributary	A river or stream flowing into a larger river or lake. The Illinois River a tributary of the Mississippi.
watercourse	The bed along which a watercourse flows. A dry watercourse.
waterway	A navigable body of water. The canal was a very successful commercial waterway.

Usage Examples of "River" as a noun

• The Mekong River.
• River pollution.
• The river was navigable for 50 miles.
• The River Danube.
• Great rivers of molten lava.

Associations of "River" (30 Words)

brook	A small stream. The Lake District boasts lovely lakes and babbling brooks.
canoe	Travel in or paddle a canoe. He had once canoed down the Nile.
capsize	(of a boat) be overturned in the water. Don t rock the boat or it will capsize.
carp	A deep-bodied freshwater fish, typically with barbels around the mouth. Carp are farmed for food in some parts of the world and are often kept in large ponds.
coastal	Located on or near or bordering on a coast. Coastal marshes.
creek	A natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river. A sandy beach in a sheltered creek.
eel	The fatty flesh of eel an elongate fish found in fresh water in Europe and America large eels are usually smoked or pickled.
estuary	The wide part of a river where it nears the sea; fresh and salt water mix.
fishery	A fishing ground or area where fish are caught.
fishing	The act of someone who fishes as a diversion. The area is renowned for its excellent deep sea fishing.
float	A floating device on the surface of a liquid which forms part of a valve apparatus controlling flow in and out of the enclosing container e g in a water cistern or a carburettor. He floated the kick into the net.
ford	A shallow area in a stream that can be forded.
herring	A fairly small silvery fish which is most abundant in coastal waters and is of widespread commercial importance.
lamprey	Primitive eellike freshwater or anadromous cyclostome having round sucking mouth with a rasping tongue.
mackerel	A predatory marine fish with a greenish-blue back, important as a food fish.
minnow	Used in names of small freshwater fishes similar to the minnow e g mudminnow topminnow. The paper is a minnow in the national newspaper mass market.
pickerel	A young pike.
pike	Used in names of predatory fish with large teeth other than the true pike e g garpike.
raft	Make into a raft. Great rafts of cormorants often 5 000 strong.
roach	A cockroach.
salmon	The flesh of the salmon as food. Cotton checked throw in cream and salmon pink.
sea	A roughly definable area of the sea. There was still some sea running.
stingray	A bottom-dwelling marine ray with a flattened diamond-shaped body and a long poisonous serrated spine at the base of the tail.
stream	The act of flowing or streaming continuous progression. She was streaming with sweat.
terrapin	A small edible turtle with lozenge-shaped markings on its shell, found in coastal marshes of the eastern US.
thames	The longest river in England; flows eastward through London to the North Sea.
tributary	Tending to bring about; being partly responsible for. The Illinois River a tributary of the Mississippi.
trout	Flesh of any of several primarily freshwater game and food fishes.
tuna	The flesh of the tuna as food.
valley	A low area of land between hills or mountains, typically with a river or stream flowing through it. The valley floor.