Canals have been built to irrigate the desert.
Source: tatoeba (243610)
Irrigate
/ˈɪɹəˌɡeɪt/
Synonyms for "irrigate" (161 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (33)
Verb(5 words)
Noun(10 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (48)
Adjective(4 words)
Noun(14 words)
evening wateringgarden watering canhose irrigationlavagemachin e wateringmetal toy watering canmore dutch watermore wateredmorning wateringmost drip irrigation watermost waterednetherlands style waterplant fluidprovided water
flushflush outgargleholystonehosehose downhumecthumectatehumidifylatherlaunderlavemoistenmopmop uppaddlerarefyreducerinserinse out
Show 1 more word
ritually immerse
Determiner(2 words)
more watering canno plan to water
Adverb(1 words)
most dutch water
Related words (80)
Noun(41 words)
seedling wateringsyringingwater applicationwater canwater cropswater dailywater daily plantswater daily regimenwater distributionwater for lifewater gentlywater greenhousewater in liquid formwater in liquid statewater layerwater moleculeswater needswater networkedwater plantwater potted plants
Show 21 more words
water prefixwater reservewater seedling carewater seedling experimentwater seedling growthwater seedling traywater supplieswater typewater value estimatewateringwatering cropswatering labelwatering lawnwatering methodwatering plantswatering setupwatering slowlywatering systemwaterswell watered fieldwetland water
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: water, adulterate, apply liquid to soil, asperge, attenuate.
- Sentence evidence is available for irrigate, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
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 "irrigate".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "irrigate"
Keep "irrigate" 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 "irrigate" 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 "irrigate", 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 "irrigate" 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
5 entriesMore specific
7 entriesantiseptic irrigationcenter pivot irrigationdrip irrigationflood irrigationsprinkler irrigationsterile saline rinsesurface irrigation
Collocations
5 entriescenter pivot irrigationdrip irrigationflood irrigationsprinkler irrigationsurface irrigation
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
6 entriesSample sentences
12 total sentences available.
They need to be able to irrigate without relying solely on rain.
Source: tatoeba (5937778)
Algeria needs to irrigate more crops.
Source: tatoeba (10132417)
Algeria needs to irrigate its large plantations in the south of the country.
Source: tatoeba (10134204)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "irrigate"?
Closest matches include water, adulterate, apply liquid to soil, asperge, attenuate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "irrigate"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.