Meaning & use
canyon
Last updated
UK/ˈkænjən/
US/ˈkænjən/
Meaning
nouncountable
A deep, narrow valley with steep sides, often with a river flowing through it.
Grammar: Countable: a canyon, many canyons.
Patterns
- a canyon in something
- the Grand Canyon
We hiked down into the canyon and camped by the river.
The canyon walls rose steeply on both sides.
Erosion over millions of years carved this huge canyon.
Word forms
| plural | canyons |
|---|
Common combinations
- deep canyon
- They stood at the edge of a deep canyon.
- canyon walls
- The canyon walls were red and orange in the sunset.
- canyon floor
- A river runs along the canyon floor.
- explore a canyon
- We spent the day exploring a narrow canyon.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gorge
- A gorge is similar but often narrower and steeper than a canyon.
- ravine
- A ravine is smaller and shallower than a canyon.
- valley
- A valley is a low area between hills, not necessarily steep or narrow.
Opposites
Word family
- canyon noun
- The base word.
Commonly confused: canyon or cannon?
canyon vs cannon
A cannon is a large gun; a canyon is a deep valley. They sound similar but are spelled differently.
Practice
The Grand _______ is one of the most famous natural landmarks in the United States.
Choose one answer.
The Grand Canyon is a deep valley in Arizona. Cannon is a weapon, canon is a rule or church law, and crayon is a drawing tool.
Make it your own
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