trough

noun

ˈtrȯf 
Definition of trough
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

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 trough The strength of the polar vortex is vulnerable to the large ridges and troughs that form in lower levels of the atmosphere and influence how the jet stream moves. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 This could happen smoothly with no stock impact, or trigger trough fears. — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026 Where the largest earners can afford to spend heavily year-on-year, the rest are beholden to peaks and troughs. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026 On Wednesday, an upper-level trough — a bundle of lower pressure through the upper atmosphere — will push across Central California. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trough
  1. pipe
  2. ditch
  3. gutter
  4. conduit
  5. trench
  6. tube
  7. ravine
  8. funnel
Noun
  • Traditional marine reactors place steam generators and coolant pumps outside the main vessel, linking them with large pipes.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The drain pipe that sticks out of the wall also needs to be much higher than normal.
    — Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of pipe
Noun
  • Northrop Grumman’s Raid Hunter aims to fill the last-ditch point-defense gap.
    — David Szondy August 19, New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Kellogg says that drafting a basic essay is as mentally taxing as digging a ditch is physically exhausting.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of ditch
Noun
  • Cornerstone Building Brands The Kearney plant, located near W Washington and W Major streets, manufactures a variety of building materials for residential and commercial uses, such as siding, windows, doors, stone veneer, fences and gutters.
    — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Trees would need trimming, gutters would need cleaning, dead or dying plants would have to be removed.
    — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of gutter
Noun
  • However, developing specialized buoyant materials, underwater conduits, and anti-corrosive gear come with a premium price tag.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
  • As to mechanical, electrical and plumbing work, the construction crew has installed five miles of conduit, obtained 1,700 linear feet of plumbing pipe and installed 500 linear feet of that piping.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of conduit
Noun
  • Tasks included scooping and dumping sand or gravel, digging and grading trenches, clearing debris from roads, removing tree branches from water edges, and breaking up rocks.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Aug. 2026
  • That made General Manager Adam Peters comfortable going the entire offseason without making a significant addition to the offensive trenches.
    — Tashan Reed, Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of trench
Noun
  • Shampoo can come in a rigid plastic bottle, a flexible squeeze tube, a refillable metal canister or a solid bar in a paperboard box.
    — Erin Victor, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
  • One photo showed a boat cruising between towering canyon walls, while another captured a tube ride across the water.
    — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of tube
Noun
  • Santa Cruz Police Department The driver and another occupant ran away into a nearby ravine where a K-9 officer was used to apprehend the driver.
    — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The driver ran from the disabled SUV into a nearby ravine but was arrested after officers sent a police dog to capture him, police said.
    — Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of ravine
Noun
  • Whether those impressions lead to a sale is left for someone further down the funnel to figure out.
    — Ivan Doruda, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The AccuWeather team will be looking for smaller storm cells breaking off of the main line, which would give them freedom to begin rotating and potentially spin off a tornado funnel.
    — Karl Hille, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of funnel

Phrases Containing trough

Browse Nearby Words

troublous
trough
troughs
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Cite this Entry

“Trough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trough. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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