mudflat

noun

mud·​flat ˈməd-ˌflat How to pronounce mudflat (audio)
: a level tract lying at little depth below the surface of water or alternately covered and left bare by the tide

Examples of mudflat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web More shorebird species will follow, and if the area stays dry enough to expose sandbars and mudflats along the river and area ponds, something really nice may show up. Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 More than an hour of constant scoping of distant beach and mudflats yielded no snowy plover, though black-bellied, semipalmated, piping and Wilson’s plovers were all present. Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Read full article The collapse of the walkway led to a chaotic scene in which visitors fell tumbling to a mudflat several feet below. Patrick Whittle, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Sep. 2023 What was once a complex ecosystem of mudflats, native plants and spawning fish became a sprawling industrial corridor. Lulu Ramadan, ProPublica, 24 Sep. 2023 Visitors to the Doubling Point Lighthouse fell into the rocks and mudflats on the river's shoreline after the last portion of the ramp that went to the lighthouse had collapsed, according to a statement from Bath Deputy Fire Chief Chris Cummings. Doha Madani, NBC News, 10 Sep. 2023 But backhoes and other construction equipment, which can drive onto firm mudflats to dig up and bury Spartina, compact the mudflats, disturbing the habitat of sediment-dwelling creatures. Byerik Stokstad, science.org, 8 Mar. 2023 Eleven lighthouse enthusiasts were hurt when a walkway collapsed, sending people tumbling into mudflats below during an annual event that encourages tours of Maine’s beloved beacons. Patrick Whittle, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2023 The six-acre reserve is named for the world’s largest tidal-flat system, a unesco World Heritage site that stretches from the Netherlands past Germany all the way north to Denmark (some 300 miles of coastline) and is characterized by wide swaths of sand, mudflats, and marsh. Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mudflat.' 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

1795, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mudflat was in 1795

Dictionary Entries Near mudflat

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

mudflat

noun
mud·​flat ˈməd-ˌflat How to pronounce mudflat (audio)
: a level area of land that lies just below the surface of water or that is repeatedly covered and left bare by the tide

More from Merriam-Webster on mudflat

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