At the start of the Second World War floodgates would be installed at the ends of the under-Thames sections of the Bakerloo and Northern lines to save them from inundation should bombs damage the riverbed.
Source: wiktionary
Floodgate
/ˈflʌdˌɡeɪt/
Synonyms for "floodgate" (55 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (11)
Strong matches (17)
Related words (27)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: aboideau, air lock, avenue, barrier, blowhole.
- Sentence evidence is available for floodgate, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, wordnet.
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 "floodgate".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "floodgate"
Keep "floodgate" 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 "floodgate" 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 "floodgate", 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 "floodgate" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriesMore specific
5 entriesdam gatedata floodgateemotional floodgatequestion floodgatesluice gate
Collocations
6 entriesclose floodgatefloodgate failurefloodgate mechanismfloodgate operationfloodgate valveopen floodgate
Inflections
1 entriesSample sentences
4 total sentences available.
“The floodgates for advertising on cable are down,” says Michael Dann, a leading consultant on cable television.
Source: wiktionary
Out of her gored wound the cruell ſteel / He lightly ſnatcht, and did the floodgate ſtop / VVith his faire garment: then gan ſoftly feel her feeble pulſe, to proue if any drop / Of liuing blood yet in her veynes did hop
Source: wiktionary
The accuſation conſiſting of thoſe three articles, was moſt true: your doctrine was ſcādalous, it offred much offence, being generally diſtaſted; and was erroneous, being detected to be the floodgate of Traitors ſtaiers, looſing in ſome ſuppoſititious doctrines, and many blaſphemous arrogating much to man, derogating much from God.
Source: wiktionary
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "floodgate"?
Closest matches include aboideau, air lock, avenue, barrier, blowhole.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "floodgate"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.