Meaning & use

swale

noun·Advanced

A low, often marshy stretch of land, or a shallow, gently sloped channel used to direct rainwater away from an area.

See it in a sentence

Wildflowers grew thickly in the swale at the bottom of the pasture, where water collected after storms.

The landscaper designed a swale along the driveway to keep runoff from flooding the garden.

A note on using this word

In landscaping, a swale is deliberately built to manage water, while the same word can also describe a naturally low, damp piece of land.

Words with a similar meaning

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