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Synonyms

water main

American  

noun

  1. a main pipe or conduit in a system for conveying water.


water main British  

noun

  1. a principal supply pipe in an arrangement of pipes for distributing water

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of water main

First recorded in 1795–1805

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Gatwick Airport and the local area also suffered water issues in July 2022, when low pressure caused by a burst water main affected 1,200 houses and closed toilet facilities at the airport.

From BBC Jul. 26, 2026

DWP engineers weigh those factors when prioritizing pipes for replacement, assigning a letter grade to each water main based on its likelihood of failure and the potential consequences of a break.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 25, 2026

While the lineup looked to be reduced after West Hollywood’s iconic Book Soup closed indefinitely due to a water main break, event organizers say they plan to reopen for the crawl.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 21, 2026

Tadeh Ghazalian, owner of Dialog Cafe, a family business of 20 years, is struggling in the wake of the water main break on Sunset Bouelvard.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 18, 2026

Grandpa wouldn’t pay to hook into the new water main and sewer system, either.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

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