sluice

4 synonyms for sluice, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A gate or channel that controls the flow of water, often found in canals or dams.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

flush

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

penstock sluiceway sluice down

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A gate or channel that controls the flow of water, often found in canals or dams.

“The lock keeper opened the sluice to let the water level drop.”

flush penstock sluiceway sluice down

2. verb

To wash something thoroughly with a flow of water.

“to sluice earth or gold dust in a sluice box in placer mining”

flush

How to use sluice

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

open the sluice sluice gate sluice down

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman "escluse" meaning floodgate, ultimately from Latin "exclūdere," "to shut out" — the same root as "exclude."

Full origin of sluice →

Frequently asked questions

What does “sluice” mean?

The word “sluice” means a gate or channel that controls the flow of water, often found in canals or dams. In plain terms, a controlled channel or gate for water, or the act of flushing something clean with water.

How do you pronounce “sluice”?

“Sluice” is pronounced sloos (/sluːs/ in IPA).

How do you use “sluice” in a sentence?

Here is “sluice” used in a sentence: “The lock keeper opened the sluice to let the water level drop.”

What part of speech is “sluice”?

Depending on how it is used, “sluice” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “sluice” come from?

The word “sluice” comes from Latin. From Anglo-Norman "escluse" meaning floodgate, ultimately from Latin "exclūdere," "to shut out" — the same root as "exclude.".

How many meanings does “sluice” have?

“Sluice” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a gate or channel that controls the flow of water, often found in canals or dams.

Related words

dam lock weir

People also searched

flush penstock sluiceway

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of sluice