Closest matches in this entry: abyss, basin, bed, bottom, breach.
Sentence evidence is available for coulee, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
Ranking signals come from derived_reverse.

Synonym selection checklist

Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "coulee".
Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "coulee"

Keep "coulee" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "coulee" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "coulee", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "coulee" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Sample sentences

4 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

[…] Mauvaise Coulee enters Devils Lake from the north, but it cannot be said to drain the lakes with which it is connected. It is itself a long-drawn-out slough or pool which is broader at those places where it spreads out into lakes. […] the head streams or coulees of the Park, the Forest and the Turtle, have all cut deep channels down through the drift into the underlying shales. This is because of the fall from the top of the high plateau down to the low prairie. […] all the larger lakes upon this plateau have already been tapped by the head coulees of the streams named.

Source: wiktionary

The small streams and coulees which flow into the Mississippi River in the area are firmly entrenched by the natural topography, and little lateral migration is possible.

Source: wiktionary

We were in a coulee, which is like a slough but deeper and with slushier muds at the bottom.

Source: wiktionary

The edge of a coulee, or stream of solidified lava, though ordinarily a very low escarpment, is exceptionally of such size as to deserve attention in the present connection.

Source: wiktionary

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "coulee"?

Closest matches include abyss, basin, bed, bottom, breach.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "coulee"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "coulee"

Meaning

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