ditch 1 of 2

noun

ˈdich How to pronounce ditch (audio)
Definition of ditchnext
as in trench
a long narrow channel dug in the earth after skidding on the ice, our car went right into the ditch

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ditch

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to dump
to end a usually intimate relationship with ditched his wife for a woman 30 years his junior

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to discard
to get rid of as useless or unwanted we ditched the old table at the town dump

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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 ditch
Noun
Much of the stone used to construct Hadrian’s Wall and its forts and milecastles was recycled over the centuries, but the stone footings largely remain, as do the flanking ditches. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 21 Sep. 2026 Treat standing water that cannot be eliminated, such as retention ponds or drainage ditches, with a mosquito larvicide. — Karma Sabbah, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
Costco ditches its Kirkland beer Pope Leo XIV, who grew up listening to popular American television preacher Archbishop Fulton Sheen, praised his fellow Illinois clergyman as an inspiration today on the eve of Sheen’s beatification. — Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026 The Boston Globe’s story about what happened when a lesbian bar in western Massachusetts ditched its mask mandate is worth the price of a subscription. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ditch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ditch
  1. trench
  2. dump
  3. discard
  4. gutter
  5. leave
  6. unload
  7. ravine
  8. lose
Noun
  • There, trenches, benches, niches and other architectural devices are carved into the floor and walls—adding to the drama of the paintings covering the walls.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Its move past bohemian into bombers, blazers, trenches and zip-ups signals a category shift, not a seasonal moment, and the chocolate-brown palette flagged by Yahoo Shopping is neutral enough to carry into spring.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of trench
Verb
  • Michael Conforto dumped a full beer down the back of an unsuspecting Carson Kelly while across the room Shota Imanaga threw his head back, opened his arms and let out a yell as assistant hitting coach Juan Cabreja uncorked the champagne.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Unlike institutional investors, who rely on algorithms to dump underperforming shares at the first sign of trouble, Coyle says retail buyers are more likely to stick around in good times and bad.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of dump
Verb
  • Technologies, markets, laws and cultural assumptions all determine what is discarded, what is kept and why.
    — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The Radical Approach​ Generally, a semiconductor wafer (up to 12 inches in diameter) is diced up into chips or dies, and any defective parts of the wafer can be discarded.
    — Nandan Nayampally, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of discard
Noun
  • Sand-like granules collecting in gutters, curling or missing shingles, brittle or cracking shingles, sagging sections and indoor leaks or ceiling stains are the standard indicators that a roof is failing.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Mosquitoes need only one tablespoon of water to breed, so areas like rain gutters, birdbaths or buckets with stagnant water are all possible breeding sites.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of gutter
Verb
  • Jim Woolery was a dealmaker at the white-shoe law firm Cravath before leaving to run M&A at JPMorgan.
    — Ellen DiMauro, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • If a client’s business looks the same six months after an engagement ends, or if the gains fade the moment the vendor leaves, that was delivery.
    — Vikas Verma, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of leave
Verb
  • Some market watchers, meanwhile, asked if investors soured on the IPO because the company was treating it primarily as an opportunity to unload secondary shares rather than as a way to raise capital.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026
  • When Bisnow struggled to unload a piano in the driveway, their new neighbors stepped in to help.
    — Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of unload
Noun
  • The National Park and World Biosphere Reserve affords nearly 10 miles to hike amid towering ravine walls, flowing streams, and dense forests.
    — Jennifer Tzeses, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Many more were imperiled by muddy water racing through the narrow ravines, sparking frantic rescue missions for dozens.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of ravine
Verb
  • House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, said there could be a homestead exemption or a mechanism that ensures people don’t lose their housing.
    — Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Peggy Tanous isn’t there because she was inexplicably invited to RHUGT instead, and Peggy Sulahian isn’t there because Alex Baskin lost her number the second that season ended.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of lose

Browse Nearby Words

disvaluing
ditch
ditched
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Cite this Entry

“Ditch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ditch. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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