floodwater

noun

flood·​wa·​ter ˈfləd-ˌwȯ-tər How to pronounce floodwater (audio)
-ˌwä-
: the water of a flood

Examples of floodwater in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Refrain from entering water that may have electricity in it and avoid walking through floodwaters. Star-Telegram Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024 The Spring Valley Community Alliance, working alongside local churches and other organizations, is spearheading the donation drive to help the many people whose belongings and homes were either severely damaged or destroyed by more than two feet of floodwater. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2024 California is reeling under the impact of a historic storm that has slammed into the western coast and unleashed floodwaters, isolated tornadoes and mudslides. Leo sands, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2024 In Baja California, one man drowned in Santa Rosalía after his vehicle was swept away by floodwaters, and a 32-year-old woman was found dead after her vehicle was swept away by an overflowing stream near Cataviña. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024 Just to the south in San Jose, emergency crews pulled occupants out of the windows of a car stranded by floodwaters and rescued people from a homeless encampment alongside a rising river. TIME, 5 Feb. 2024 In San Jose, emergency crews pulled occupants out of the windows of a car stranded by floodwaters and rescued people from a homeless encampment alongside a rising river. Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 5 Feb. 2024 County and city emergency crews have been in high gear since last Monday, when a torrential downpour sent floodwaters roaring through homes and businesses across the region. Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2024 Makueni County officials and farmers dug channels to direct floodwaters into nearby mango, banana, and orange fields. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'floodwater.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of floodwater was in 1791

Dictionary Entries Near floodwater

Cite this Entry

“Floodwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floodwater. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

floodwater

noun
flood·​wa·​ter ˈfləd-ˌwȯt-ər How to pronounce floodwater (audio)
-ˌwät-
: the water of a flood

More from Merriam-Webster on floodwater

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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